The Hunted, Phoenix Rising: Volume II
by RoyalRapier
Summary: Sequel to: A Broken Peace, Phoenix Rising: Vol 1. After the defeat of Dominus, the Order seeks to expand, but soon finds itself attacked by deadly enemies on all sides. H/G/R/Hm POV. Strictly canon. All rights characters/canon:J.K. Rowling. Please Review
1. Notice to Reader

**NOTICE**

This story is the sequel to:

A Broken Peace, Phoenix Rising: Volume I

The Author recommends that you read that fanfic first, as events from that story will be referred to in this one. You can find the first Volume by clicking on my name at the top of the screen. You should find a list of all stories by me.

Sincerely,

RoyalRapier

For those of you who have read the first story, don't be alarmed by the fact that the first chapter title is the same as in the last book. The content is not, and it is intentional, I promise!


	2. After the Battle

**After the Battle**

_The Burrow, Approximately Two Months After the Fall of Lord Voldemort…_

The moon light lit the yard outside the Burrow with a soft glow. It was nearly September and a soft breeze caused the leaves of the huge tree to rustle. Ginny made her way through the night down to the pond a little ways outside the official boundaries of the house. The moon reflected off its surface, which rippled slightly with the wind. There, right where she expected him to be, was the boy she had come looking for.

Harry Potter sat with his hands wrapped around his knees, apparently staring out at the lake, but she knew that, in reality, he was lost in thought. They all had had a tendency to look that way over the last few months…the last of the funerals had occurred only three weeks previously. It had been the service for Lupin and Tonks. The gaps that the loss of friends and family had left were still painfully apparent to everyone. Ginny felt the tears welling in her eyes as Fred's face swam to the front of her mind.

She paused briefly, about a hundred yards behind Harry and pulled herself together, before moving forward. As she approached, she saw his head shoot up, his arm shot automatically to his wand as he jumped up. There was a look of alarm on his face that quickly disappeared when he saw who it was.

She raised one eyebrow at him.

"Oh," he muttered, embarrassed, "Sorry about that … force of habit."

She smiled, but inside she felt concern. _What had this past year done to him?_

"Mind if I join you?" she asked. "Promise I won't attack you…"

Harry smiled back, but his eyes said his mind was still elsewhere. He gestured towards the bank. They settled where he had been sitting. Ginny sat next to him, his arm around her shoulders. He resumed his apparent contemplation of the water. She watched him carefully, working up the courage to ask the question that she already knew the answer to. Finally, she spoke.

"You're not going back are you?" she asked, looking at him.

He looked at her, surprised.

"How did you know?"

"Oh come on, Potter," she said. "You're not that hard to read. You've been all quiet since Kingsley visited this weekend."

"And…you're not…mad?" he asked hesitantly.

She looked at him.

"No," she said finally. "I knew you would accept. You wouldn't be you if you didn't. Although…I'm a little disappointed we won't be spending the year together…you know, there were so many corners we didn't get the chance to explore…"

He smiled at this, his eyes glittered mischievously. "We made a pretty fair attempt at it, though."

She grinned at him. For the past few months, she had only…

"Gin, how do you do it?" Harry asked softly, looking at her. "Manage to make me feel like everything will be ok…after…everything?"

… _felt ok when she was around him,_ she finished her thought.

They both just looked at each other for a moment. Neither of them knew the answer to that question.

"I'll miss you, Harry," she said. "It's going to be a long year."

"I'll miss you too, Gin," he said, reaching over with his free arm to squeeze her hand. "But it's not like I won't see you? We'll have breaks, and your Hogsmeade weekends, and letters, and…do you really think I'm just going to let you sit up in that castle with Hermione feeling lonesome?"

"No," she said with a quiet smile. "It still won't be quite the same though, and you'll be busy with Auror training, I don't want you skiving off just to come up to see me." She fixed him with a stern look.

"Yes, dear," Harry said with a smirk. She glared at him.

"You know I hated when you say that," she muttered. "Makes me feel like my mother."

Harry just laughed.

"Gin," he said, serious now. "We'll be fine, you and I, right?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, slightly anxious.

"Being apart again…" he said. "I…I don't want to lose you…"

"Harry Potter," she said sternly. "You are not going to get rid of me, no matter how hard you try. That's a promise."

"Sounds more like a threat…" he said wryly, but he smiled, the troubled expression that had been on his face disappearing. She smacked him playfully about the head.

They looked out at the water a while longer.

"So, Ron's not going back either?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You said 'sitting up in that castle with Hermione.' I figured if Ron was going you would have mentioned him?"

"Don't miss a thing do you?" Harry said with a smile. "I should have known…you always do know what I'm thinking before I do."

"So he's not?"

"No," Harry said. "He's not going."

"Is he going with you?"

"No, he doesn't feel like he can leave George…" Harry replied. "Ron's what's keeping the shop going right now." He paused for a minute. "Hermione doesn't know yet…"

"I think she's guessed," Ginny said. "Doesn't want to admit it though…"

Harry nodded. "It's not going to be pretty."

"You never know…Hermione can be very understanding…"

Harry fixed her with a look.

"Oh, you're right," she said with a sigh. "She's going to blow a gasket."

"Ron tends to have that effect on her."

"They're perfect for each other."

* * *

><p>A week later, the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express sat belching steam that covered the platform in a white haze. Ron felt a strange twinge of regret as he saw students, a good number of whom had been his classmates, making their way to the train with trunks and cages in tow. He felt strangely naked standing there with no baggage, having just finished helping Hermione and Ginny load things into their compartment along with Harry.<p>

They all stood on the platform now. Ron watched Hermione telling Harry a tearful goodbye as if she was going away for years rather than months, the Head Girl's badge hanging off the Hogwarts robes she had already changed into. He observed the fact that she pointedly avoided gazing in his direction. That had been the way she had responded to his presence (ignoring it) ever since she had screamed him senseless three days previously.

Ginny gave him a hug in his turn along with her other siblings and her parents who had come to see her and Hermione off to their final year at Hogwarts.

"Don't worry," she whispered as she let go. "She'll come around. She understands…she's just upset." Ron looked at her strangely. Ginny and he rarely did something other than get into arguments.

She turned her attention to Harry and the two of them walked a little ways down the platform, just out of sight in the steam from the engine. Ron saw his mother's gaze follow them with a touch of unease, his father patted her shoulder slightly.

Hermione gave him a stiff hug, before saying good bye to his family. Harry and Ginny reappeared; his sister's face a tad red. Had Ron not been so absorbed with his own relationship concerns, he would have made a mental note to discuss appropriate public behavior with Harry.

And then the two girls boarded the train and the steam began to issue from the engine in earnest. The train was about to leave.

Suddenly the door burst back open and Hermione came flying back out, tears covering her face and launched herself into his arms.

"Oh, Ron!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry…I know you are…that George needs…I shouldn't have…"

He kissed her. Not caring that his whole family was watching. Not caring that Ginny had rolled her eyes and mouthed "hypocrite" to Harry. This was all that mattered.

They broke apart.

"Don't worry about it," he said, as he wiped her tears with his hand. "Now hurry or you'll be staying, too." She rushed back to the train and he slammed the door shut behind her as the train began to move.

She reappeared at the window. The family waved goodbye as they departed platform nine-and-three-quarters for the final time. They kept waving until the train had turned the bend. As they both lowered their arms, Harry looked at Ron.

"You know," Ron heard him say. "I reckon Ginny's right."

"How's that?" Ron asked, glancing in his direction.

"You are a hypocrite."

* * *

><p>Hermione retook her seat in the compartment with Ginny, wiping her eyes once more.<p>

"I told him you'd come around," Ginny said, smiling.

"Yeah," she said. "Something about the way he looks…"

Ginny held up a hand. "I don't want to know," she said, feigning disgust.

"Oh, why don't you just wander off into some steam again?" Hermione shot back. Ginny turned slightly pink.

"You and Ron could have used some steam to hide that." It was Hermione's turn to blush.

They both laughed.

They were soon joined by Luna, who would also be coming back as she had missed nearly half of the previous year. After a few minutes of conversation, they fell silent, each immersed in her own thoughts. Hermione looked across the compartment at Ginny, she was staring out the window, watching the country side pass by.

About an hour and a half into the journey, the witch pushing the refreshment cart came by the apartment. Hermione pulled out her money, and saw Ginny reach into her robes to do the same out of the corner of her eye. Her friend let out a gasp and pulled a small box from the inside pocket, staring at it.

Hermione went ahead and paid for both of their cauldron cakes and the witch left as Ginny slowly cracked open the box. She pulled out a thin gold chain with a small ornament dangling from it. Hermione looked closely…it was a golden snitch. Ginny set it in the box and pulled out a folded piece of parchment.

She unfolded it, and as she read it, she began to laugh as a tear ran down her cheek. She handed the note to Luna who giggled in a most un-Luna-like fashion and handed it to Hermione, before going back to the _Quibbler_.

Hermione looked at the note and read:

_Dear Ginny,_

_Just in case you were still worried, I got you this. If you wear it, I can't help but come and find you. I'm a seeker you know, I can't help myself.  
><em>

_You're probably wondering how this got here. You remember this morning when Ron "accidentally" spilled his pumpkin juice all over you? Well, that may or may not have been __planned in advance...so I could sneak into your room while you were cleaning up in the bathroom. I hope you like the necklace._

_Have a wonderful year at Hogwarts! I will come and visit as soon as I can. I miss you already._

_ See you soon!  
><em>

_Love__  
><em>

_Harry_

_P.S. You might tell Hermione to check her trunk before Ron's flowers get crushed. I tried to tell him he might want to find a better place. But you know Ron…_

"That's so sweet," she said a broad grin spreading across her face as she hurriedly opened her trunk to remove a beautiful bouquet that looked only a tad worse for the wear. "Where did they learn to be so…?"

"I don't know…" Ginny said, wiping the tear off her face. "But wherever they did, they learned it well."

Hermione opened the note from Ron.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. I just…I can't leave George right now, he needs me around, more than just to run the shop. I know you'll understand. I love you Hermione. I hate to see you upset._

_I hope these flowers make you feel better. Harry keeps telling me they're going to get crushed, but I don't know what he's on about. All that fuss about distracting Ginny at breakfast tomorrow so he can sneak his gift into her robes. A little corny if you ask me._

_Anyway, have a great year! Harry and I will visit as soon as we can. Let us know when the first Hogsmeade weekend is._

_Yours always,_

_RON_

Hermione closed the letter and handed it to Ginny, who smiled and handed it back.

"It was not corny," she said stubbornly.

Hermione just shook her head and looked out the window, looking forward to the opportunities of a final year at Hogwarts and many years beyond.

**A NOTE TO THE READER**

**And so the sequel begins.**

**Like in _A Broken Peace_, this story begins with a jump backwards to a time not long after the Battle of Hogwarts. Next will come a prologue, this one I think will star Luna, though from a third person point of view. And then the actual chapters will begin. This story starts about three months after the Epilogue of _A Broken Peace_.**

**In this chapter, we see Ginny and Hermione learning that Harry and Ron aren't going back to Hogwarts. I really enjoyed getting a chance to go back and write about the young relationships again, especially after having written about the couples' engagements and wedding. We see a slightly more serious Harry and Ginny, with some insecurities, though the deep bond they have is clear and clearly growing. Ron and Hermione are clearly still testing their new relationship. All of them are still dealing with the losses of friends and family. As you can see, George is still the most effected, and Angelina has not yet entered his life.**

**So here, we go again. Please let me know what you think!**

**Once again: Onward!**

**RoyalRapier**


	3. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Five Years Later, Somewhere in Louisiana, the United States of America_

Luna was glad of her experience adventuring in Africa as she followed her guide, his name was Michael _(or was it Mitchell…Mark…no, definitely Michael)_ through the tangled, swampy bayou, their feet protected by an impervious charm. They had left the boat miles behind, she doubted whether she could have pointed to its location, stealth was of the utmost necessity. At least, that is what Michael had said when she objected two hours ago.

After he had succeeded Kingsley as the head of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry had expanded the organization to include branches is several countries (with plans for more), including the United States. The Chapter in England being the oldest and most well-established, they had been receiving frequent requests for consultation. So it was that Luna was trekking around in the backwoods of America with Michael, a local Order member, investigating the strange reports and disappearances that had been surfacing in this part of the country.

Michael ducked beneath an overhanging vine as they squelched through knee-deep water.

"I'm sorry this is taking so long, we're almost to where the first disappearance happened," he said softly.

"Oh don't apologize," Luna said, thinking about an article her father was working on and pondering whether the strangely-leafed bush up ahead could be one of the exotic plants he was looking for, "it really is quite beautiful scenery."

Michael gave her a strange look. She got those frequently. This one rather reminded her of the expression Ron Weasley made so often when she was around. Apparently deciding that he would rather not respond to her comment, Michael continued ahead. Luna followed.

They continued on their way for another hour before Luna heard it. A distinct, but soft snap issued from not far ahead of them…as if someone had stepped on and broken a twig. Luna froze and hissed at Michael to do the same. As the sound of the movements ceased, they heard voices ahead. Wands drawn they crept forward to where a dense clump of foliage blocked their view ahead.

Silently moving the branches apart they looked out on a remarkably clear stretch of ground. In the center stood a plain stone pillar. Strapped to it was a man. The top portion of his body was bare, and covered with cuts and bruises, his face was swollen and bruised. Through their small viewing spaces, he appeared to be alone.

"No…" Michael breathed, he started forward. Luna caught him.

"Wait," she hissed.

"But he's one of ours," Michael hissed back, struggling with her. He froze as a voice spoke loudly nearby.

"…Now you see just how wrong you were," the voice said, dripping with hatred and seeming to relish the pain the man was in as he drew out every word. "You thought yourself a great protector…perhaps another Harry Potter?...you thought that ring made you invincible." The man's head shot up from where it had been resting on his chest, apparently he had not thought the speaker knew he was in the Order. "But you were wrong…oh, so very wrong. That ring is why you are here my dear man…and now, now you will see what awaits the rest of your misguided friends." A chorus of harsh laughter revealed that at least ten other men filled the clearing, too many to take by surprise.

Luna watched as a man in long black robes approached the pillar. He held up a staff of some kind that appeared to be made of black stone; it's head carved into the shape of some sort of animal. A brilliant blast of violet issued from the top of the shaft, like a bold of lightning to strike the man's hand. He howled in pain. There, plainly visible on his left hand, was the ring that marked a member of the Order.

"You know what this does?" the tormentor said as his victim's chest heaved, his voice glorying in the cruelty he had perpetrated. "It is the opposite of magic…it's polar opposite." He paused for a second. "The Muggles have a theory…they say that every force has its opposite. The Muggle Indians who used to live here, they called this power Nalusa Chito…they believed it a shadow being that could eat men's souls. You see, they didn't know…couldn't have known, that what it really did was attach the magic of those of them who could use it."

"And you think the taste of pain revealing that ring gave you was something to fear? A wizard's magic is part of him…ripping it away will kill you…but it will be the most painful death you could ever imagine…like ripping your soul from your body."

The man struggled in vain against the chords that bound him as the staff rose again. The man's screams rent the air as the violet lighting streamed into his chest and danced about his body. Burns appeared across his chest and arms. Lightning burst from his ears and mouth as his body shook with the terrible power of his torturer's weapon. He was dead in an instant, but not before suffering tremendous pain.

Michael had shoved his fist into his mouth to keep from crying out, he sank to the ground with his back to the scene they had just witnessed. Luna felt a tear stream down her face for her unknown fellow Order member as she crouched next to him. Then she heard a strange sound, drawing closer and closer…like…like a sniffing animal.

Luna had just reached this conclusion when a head, about a foot in length, covered in smooth black skin and looking like a terrible combination of dog and horse appeared around the corner of their hiding place. The creature beared its many fangs and issued a growl that filled the whole area.

"RUN!" Luna screamed as she drug Michael to his feet and sped off. The creature leaped after them. It's full body streaming around the foliage and revealing it's six, insect-like legs attached to along body not unlike a canine's.

Shouts came from the clearing as the men who had been torturing the now dead man joined the chase. A jet of violet lightning that split a nearby tree indicated that their leader had joined the pursuit as well.

Luna chanced a glance backwards. At least twenty men were pursuing them. Near the front, wearing a black ceremonial gown that she had mistaken for robes was the man bearing the staff. Luna's heart dropped as she saw a second of the creatures pounding after them. Their lead would not last long.

A flash of light. Michael screamed and fell to the ground, blood spouting from one of his legs. She stopped to help him. He pointed his wand at her and a blast of air knocked her forward.

"NO!" he screamed in agony. "GO! GO! YOU MUST WARN THE OTHERS!"

With tears in her eyes, Luna wrenched her eyes away and took off as fast as she could go. She could hear her pursuers thundering after her. It was two minutes later that she heard Michael's screams as she pounded ever onwards. It was two minutes after that that she realized, with a jolt of panic, that she didn't know where she was or where she was running. The boat could have been anywhere, she knew of no location to apparate to.

A figure appeared in front of her, wand raised. She stunned him with a jet of red light and blasted past. Her enemies, apparently, had no such limitation. Luna was lost. Lost and pursued. With no guide, no chance of escape, and no way to warn her friends that the Order had ceased to be the hunters of dark wizards…They had become the hunted.

**A NOTE TO THE READER:**

**I apologize for the delay between posts, I hope I didn't alarm anyone. After finishing the precursor to this story, I found myself in the need of a little break and with a small case of writer's block and so took a short vacation. Unfortunately, it is also one that left me posting this right before classes start up again, but rest-assured I will continue this story! Feel free, as I said last year around this time, to pester me with comments until I do.**

**So, this prologue sets up the primary (though not the only) conflict of this book as we see through Luna's perspective (no, I will not be adding her POV to my main plot line and No, she isn't dead or about to die). It's a little shorter than my usual posts, but about the same length as the prologue to A Broken Peace, so I feel it is fairly appropriate. I have a lot of interesting scenes and ideas for this book that I hope you will enjoy. **

**The name of the power comes from Choctaw religious belief for those of you who were curious. The tribe did have a presence in the Louisiana area.**

**So, although I can't promise when I will post again, I hope you will stay tuned as we head into the story-proper. And that story begins, with the birth of James Sirius Potter.**

**Onward!**

**RoyalRapier**


	4. Chapter 1: Testimony

**Chapter 1 – Testimony**

_Outside the Wizengamot Chambers, Ministry of Magic – London, Tuesday, June 8, 2004_

Harry Potter walked down the stone steps into the torch-lit corridor that held the Wizengamot Chambers. He, stopped for a second, tightened the tie around his neck and pressed onward. There were a million things that needed done several floors above him in his office, but they would have to wait until after the committee held its hearing, the first of several to be held in the coming months.

Following the death of Voldemort, the Wizengamot had been reformed into a legislative body whose members were elected by the witches and wizards of Britain. It's primary purpose was now to pass laws and to elect the Minister of Magic from amongst their number. The body's judicial functions had been removed to a Judicial Council whose members were elected separately by the magical population and who heard cases in Tribunals. However, the Wizengamot still held the power to conduct hearings in order to investigate controversies and try to decide upon the appropriate course of action. It was a power the body had made great use of in recent years. Kingsley's reforms had been popular, but they were not without their critics; the same was true of many of his policies.

Harry had thought that Dominus' death would bring an end to the issue and allow the wizarding world to return to normal, but he had been sorely mistaken. The squabbling over the wisdom of the Ministry's actions, including his appointment as Commissioner and subsequent conduction of the investigation, had begun almost immediately. Harry was still powerfully popular in the magical community, so allegations of misconduct were never stated openly, but his role in the reformation and his aggressive pursuit of former Death Eaters and other law breakers had made him his share of powerful enemies. Those enemies had been strong enough to convince the Wizengamot that the Dominus Affair warranted further investigation given the damage caused and lives lost in the struggle. In true legislative fashion, they had formed a committee which had been gathering evidence and testimony for the past six months. Today the hearings began.

Harry reached the door and found Hermione standing by it, apparently waiting for him. She had been promoted three months ago. Kingsley had appointed her Chief Solicitor (the head of the Solicitor's Office, which prosecuted cases before the Judicial Council) after the post's previous occupant had been seriously injured in the attack on the Palace of Westminster. The appointment had become permanent after he had decided not to return. She had entered the position to find a department in chaos, having lost its Chief in the middle of trying to build cases against Dominus' henchmen. It had taken a great deal of effort on her part to get things running smoothly again. But Harry had no idea why she was here, unless someone questioned her role in the assault, which didn't seem likely.

"How's it looking?" he asked, pausing at the door. "Why have they drug you down here?"

She shrugged. "Who knows." They opened the door and walked inside.

The large chamber where Harry had once been tried for underage magic was brightly lit on this occasion. The chained chair had been replaced by a long table with several chairs. Members of the committee milled about near the dais, not yet having taken their seats for the proceeding to begin. Near the table where the witnesses were to sit stood a familiar figure attired entirely in black with white blonde hair. Draco Malfoy nodded in Harry's direction as he and Hermione entered the room. Harry nodded in return, but his eyes were drawn upward to the man who stood behind the podium-like center of the high dais.

Praetorious Vance returned Harry's gaze with a hard glare of his own. His beak-like nose was turned slightly upward, his dark hair oiled heavily into place. Every inch of his bearing reeked of privilege. Vance was the strongest opponent to Kingsley's government. He could always be counted upon to disagree with any reform, law, or action the government undertook. He was also Harry's most vocal critic. Harry was not entirely sure why this was; he had not, as far as he knew, ever done anything personally or in his official capacity to draw Vance's ire. But then….Praetorius Vance didn't need a reason to hate someone who stood in the way of his own ambition.

Rumors of shady dealings and corruption had followed Vance since he was first elected three years previously. He had made a name for himself by being a thorn in the side of the new administration ever since. He was perhaps most notable for uniting the fractured opposition to that administration into a cohesive block in the Wizengamot. No one knew how he had done it…there were rumors about that, too. One thing was certain though, when the conflict with Dominus began, he had started revving the opposition up to attack the administration's handling of the crisis. Now that the battle was done and the costs had been counted, he wasn't going to let it escape unscathed.

Leaping at the chance to make a name for himself by being the one to discredit Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry Potter, though he would never say that in public of course, he had managed to get himself appointed as head of the Westminster Crisis Committee, as the body was officially called. The opposition's success in hijacking the chairmanship of the committee did not bode well for the prospect of a favorable report. The success was made all the more strange by the fact that the opposition currently held a little more than 30% of the seats, but it was a mystery that might never be solved.

Vance rapped the chairman's gavel once and the committee members took their seats. Harry and Hermione had taken places on the far side of the table from Malfoy, separated by two pompous looking men in dress robes. Harry felt slightly shabby in the official deep blue Auror's robes; Hermione, in the Solicitor's deep emerald, seemed nonplussed.

"I hereby call to order the first hearing of the Westminster Crisis Committee," came Vance's voice, it's deep and aristocratic sound echoing around the chamber. "This committee has been authorized by Wizengamot Resolution 7148 to investigate the events surrounding the attempted bombing of the Muggle seat of government in England and the conduct of the Ministry of Magic in responding to the actions of Donovan St. Revetallon."

"Testifying before the committee on this eighth day of June, 2004 are Mr. Draco Malfoy, Dr. Stephan Milak; senior researcher at the Institute of Magical Policy Studies; Dr. Anthony Ardav, chief analyst of the Wizengamot Research Service, Mrs. Hermione Granger-Weasley, Chief Solictor, and Mr. Harry Potter, Commissioner of the Auror Office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. You have been summoned here today on the statutory authority of the Committee. The witnesses are reminded that they are required by law to answer truthfully and completely the questions of the body and that refusal or falsification will render the offending witness liable for a charge of contempt."

Harry's mind wandered as Vance spoke. _So, two senior "researchers," huh? Thisis going to be good._ Harry's eyes scanned the committee, six of the ten members were members of Kingsley's Reform Party, one was unaffiliated, Vance and one other man were part of his Traditionalist Coalition. _How had Vance managed to get himself appointed as Chairperson?_

"The Chair recognizes the honorable gentleman from Northern Ireland, Mr. Paul Yvoa" Vance continued. _Of course, the Traditionalist_. "The gentleman has thirty minutes."

Yvoa was a small man with glasses whose face bore a smug look as if he knew something that no one else in the room did.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman," He said in a nasally voice that sounded like a perpetual whine. "I would like to begin by voicing my significant concerns about the handling of this situation. The loss of life, both magic and non-magic, throughout the course of this crisis has not been known to the Ministry since the days of You-Know-Who. So, I suppose, as the head of the investigation, my first questions are directed towards you Mr. Potter. You were the one who defeated you know who, were you not?"

Harry stared blankly at him for a minute, trying to gauge if that was actually a legitimate question.

"The witness will answer," Vance's voice chimed in, clearly enjoying the opportunity for chastisement. Harry shook himself internally.

"Yes, I defeated Voldemort."

To Harry's great satisfaction, Yvoa started so badly that his glasses fell off his face and he had to duck below the dais to retrieve them. When he returned to view, the smirk had been replaced by a scowl.

"I would greatly appreciate it if the witness refrained from using that name within these halls."

"Fear of the name increases fear of the name itself," Harry said firmly. "Tom Riddle has been dead for six years now. Calling him by any name isn't going to bring him back."

"Hmmm," Yvoa crooned. "Perhaps you are correct, but then again, you always were a bold one. In light of recent events, some might not call that a positive attribute."

"I object, Mr. Chairman!" Lucas Medford, a Representative from Surry, interrupted loudly. "I object to this line of comment. Does the gentleman truly imply that the wizarding world would be better off if Harry Potter, the man who defeated…"

Vance's gavel slammed hard.

"Enough," he said. "The Gentleman from Surry is overruled. You may continue Mr. Yvoa."

Medford was clearly outraged. It was unheard of for a Chairman to rule a member out of order before he had even finished voicing his objection.

"Thank you," Yvoa chimed. "Now Mr. Potter, you did not finish your schooling at Hogwarts correct?"

"Yes"

"And you had only been with the Auror's office for a short time before becoming Commissioner?"

"I had been an Auror for four years."

"And there were much more seasoned officers in the Office?"

"Clearly."

"And you had previously been brought before a judicial body for improper use of magic correct?

"And acquitted."

"And you had attacked a professor on Hogwarts grounds during your third year, correct?"

"In defense of two innocent men, who…"

"That will do. And yet you were promoted to Comissioner?"

"Yes." Harry gritted his teeth, longing to curse the glasses off the face of the man who was currently reminding him of Cornelius Fudge.

"Do you know why?"

"You should ask Minister Shacklebolt, it was his decision."

"I'm asking you."

"It was not my decision, I could not say, I presume it was because the minister thought me qualified."

"Hmmm…qualified…yes, you don't think your…how shall I put this…fame had anything to do with it?"

Harry glared at the little man whose smirk had returned with a demonic edge to it. Around the dais, the other members of the committee sat rigid in their seats, clearly taken aback. Vance continued to smile indulgently, he opened his mouth to chastise Harry again.

"Well, Mr. Yvoa…as you seem to already have formed your opinion, you hardly need mine."

"I resent your tone, Mr. Potter."

"My apologies to the Gentleman," Harry replied, his temper hovering on the barest edge of control. "But I must admit, I resent rather more about him than his tone."

The gavel came down hard.

"The witness will remain respectful of the body or he will be held in contempt," Vance snarled.

At this point, the dais erupted with objections. Vance was overwhelmed by the clamor of outraged voices ringing around him. He hammered the gavel repeatedly to no avail. After ten minutes, he was forced to call a recess while the Committee retired to consider the members' objections.

Hermione looked over at Harry. "You know you shouldn't have done that, right? There are still quite a few of these to go."

Harry sighed heavily. "Hermione, do you know how much work there is to be done upstairs? And this little…this ignorant…that…whatever, sits there telling me he resents my tone?"

"Harry, this is important to. If this report reflects badly…it could jeopardize all the work we have done."

"I know, Hermione," Harry said exasperatedly. "But you know I'm not good at this sort of thing."

Hermione smiled slightly. "You're not that bad. I have to admit, it was rather mild compared to your usual standards."

"I suppose that press conference business does have its benefits."

Hermione chuckled. "Really? I was going to attribute it to living with a pregnant woman for nine months."

"Well, that too." Harry said, this time it was his turn to laugh. "But really, Ginny isn't that bad…most of the time."

Hermione gave him a skeptical look.

"Shut up."

The committee filed back into the room, with Yvoa conspicuously absent. Vance had a particularly sour look on his face. As he opened his mouth to speak, he looked very much as if he would have liked to throw something.

"The Committee has divided on the matter in question. By a vote of seven to two, it has decided to extend its apologies to Mr. Potter for the ad hominem nature of Mr. Yvoa's questions. A majority of five members has voted to expel Mr. Yvoa from the committee. He will be replaced by another member of his party at the earliest possible convenience. In the interim, the Chair recognizes…"

The hearing drug on for several additional hours, with each member asking questions of the various witnesses. Vance's face remained sullen throughout the rest of the proceeding, especially when many of the members used their time to question the two researchers, who generally supported the administration's actions as reasonable. After three hours, it was finally Vance's turn.

"Mr. Malfoy," Vance began without pretext. "You were the one who actually killed Dominus, correct?"

"Yes," Malfoy drawled.

"And you had done so after mounting a unilateral expedition to discover the source of his apparent invincibility, yes?"

"That's correct."

"So would you say your final attack on Dominus was planned, some might say premeditated?"

"No," Malfoy's voice positively dripped with sarcasm. "I just happened to drink polyjuice potion, disguise myself as the Prime Minister and lie in wait for him. It was pure coincidence."

Vance turned a shade of purple reminiscent of Uncle Vernon.

"The witness should note that, while this committee may be inclined to let Mr. Potter traipse on the dignity of these halls, but I assure you that it will not be as indulgent with you." Vance seemed, as he finished to reject this loss of control as his eyes darted around the room to see mouths quickly opening with renewed objections. He sped onward in a more conciliatory tone before they could be given voice.

"And you were never charged with any crime? Despite this premeditated assault?"

"No."

At this point, Hermione stood.

"Mrs. Granger, you have not been recognized." Vance said forcefully. "You will retake your seat."

"I demand the right to address the committee."

"You have no such right, you were summoned here on the committee's…"

"I think you'll find that I do." Hermione cut across him. Her voice had not risen above an even keel, but Vance recoiled as if whipped. "In fact, the authorizing statute the Chairman cited at the beginning of today's proceedings states that these hearing shall be conducted according to the normal rules of investigative procedure of the Wizengamot. In Title XI, Section 34 (B) 1324.01A…"

"Very well, very well," Vance said hastily, waiving his hand. "You may address the body."

"Many thanks," Hermione said curtly. Directing her statement towards the rest of the committee, she began. "I would like to remind the body that, as Chief Solicitor, my office conducted a rigorous review of the conduct of all those involved in the events surrounding the criminal known as Dominus, including Mr. Malfoy. It was the conclusion of the Solicitor of Record for Mr. Malfoy's file and a grand jury of 23 members of the magical community, that Mr. Malfoy was not criminally liable for any of his actions, that he was acting as an agent of the Auror's Office, that his conduct was indispensible to the successful resolution of the crisis, and that his ultimate act in killing Dominus was taken in self-defense after Dominus made capture impossible. The Solicitor's Office made all of the records regarding Mr. Malfoy, as well as all of the supporting evidence, available to the Committee well in advance of this proceeding. Does the committee wish to question the judgment or conduct of the Solicitor? If so, I would ask that such questions be directed towards me as the office is my responsibility, not that of Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione retook her seat.

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger," Vance said through gritted teeth. "Your statement is most helpful; however, I am not concerned with the conduct of Mr. Malfoy at the Palace of Westminster, questionable though it may be. No, as you mentioned, my concern lies in the actions surrounding Mr. Malfoy's actions as an agent of the Auror's Office. Or rather, actions concerning the safety of Mr. Malfoy's kin. Mr. Malfoy, your home was attacked last year, correct?"

"Yes"

"And Mr. Potter was the Auror in charge of the scene after the foiling of that attack, yes?"

"Yes."

"And was your family placed in protective custody after that attack?"

"Yes."

"Immediately?"

"Yes."

"Really now? Because records show they were not placed under Ministry protection until the next morning."

"They weren't placed under the protection of the Ministry."

Harry's heart leapt into his chest. _So, this was Vance's goal? Revealing the Order? To what purpose? Would Malfoy keep quiet? The consequences of the revelation would destroy the credibility of the administration…._Harry looked into Vance's eager face. _That was the goal._ Vance was out to bring down Kingsley at all costs…

"Oh, whose protection were they placed under?"

"Several prominent wizards from the war with Voldemort who had come to assist when they saw the assault occurring."

"And these "prominent wizards," they just happened to be passing by your house that night?"

"As far as I know."

"Friends of yours?"

"Not really."

"So why were they there?"

"I'm many things Mr. Chairman, a mind reader is not one of them."

"Quite the coincidence."

"Some would call it serendipity, but I'm sure you're not here to quibble over vocabulary."

"Could there be any other reason for their presence?"

"Not that I am aware of, unless I have a fan club out there. Given my past though, I find the prospects of that less than likely."

Vance turned his attention to Harry, clearly frustrated by his inability to obtain the answer he was looking for.

"Commissioner Potter, is it common practice to place endangered persons in the hands of civilians?"

"No, it is not. " Harry said. "But, it was a dire situation in which the opportunity was present to end the crisis once and for all, I could not, in good faith, forsake that opportunity when there was a viable alternative available. In fact, the statute authorizing the placement of persons into protective…"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you've researched all the relevant loopholes in your responsibilities, but that "opportunity" you were so intent on taking advantage of, it was unsuccessful in ending the crisis, yes?"

"Yes."

"And it resulted in serious injuries, including your own, and the deaths of multiple Ministry employees?"

"Yes"

"So, wouldn't you say it would have been wise to control your impatience and follow procedure, perhaps plan a more effective operation?"

"By the time we had done so, Dominus would have escaped. The mission may not have killed him or resulted in his capture, but we had no way to know that at the time. It also seriously damaged his operation and forced him underground, which probably saved lives given that he halted his public attacks until the attempted assault at the Palace of Westminster. Further, all necessary steps were taken to formulate a workable and effective plan of assault at Dominus' facility, as the expert witnesses testified. Though procedures were not followed to the letter, crisis necessitated immediate action; again, the witnesses before the Committee today have upheld my actions."

"For now…Mr. Potter…For now." Vance said, the look on his face clearly said that this was not the end of the matter. Vance's plan had finally moved into the open. The Committee was a platform from which he could expose the Order, destroy Kingsley's administration, discredit Harry and the other heroes of the Second War and, all the while, improve his own standing. Vance had revealed himself to be a vicious and dangerous opponent. There was no guarantee that the other members of the Committee would be able to restrain him and whoever took Yvoa's place. Even if they could, if the Order could be revealed, even they would not be able to keep a coalition behind Kingsley. "The witnesses are dismissed; this Committee is adjourned until our next regularly scheduled meeting." Vance banged the gavel with finality.

As they left the chamber, Hermione and Harry looked at each other. Harry saw the same puzzlement and concern on her face.

_How had Vance become so influential? How could he be countered? What did he intend to do next?_ This was not the sort of battle Harry as used to. Dueling proficiency would be of no use to him here, but perhaps investigative skill might be. One thing was certain, the Order was going to need all of Hermione's diplomatic skill in this fight. Politics might be a war of words, but, in this case, Vance was proving that words could be every bit as dangerous to the future of the Wizarding World as Dominus.

**A NOTE TO THE READER:**

**Well, I'm back. Sorry for the long delay, and for the one that is likely to follow this one. I am currently in the middle of a brutal college semester, and so my posting has suffered. However, I wanted to get something posted for those of you who were afraid that I had dropped off the face of the earth. I assure you, I am still here and writing, albeit intermittently (I seriously have been working on this chapter since I posted the last one). **

**This chapter reveals the second of the two enemies that will form the core of the plot of this story. I also took some time to explain how Kingsley has restructured the Ministry in some ways. What can I say? I'm a political science major, you'll have to bear with me. In terms of development, this chapter reveals that Harry has gotten somewhat better at handling himself in public situations (although, clearly, he still has some work to do), furthermore, Hermione shows the evolution of her diplomatic skill, and ends up right where Scrimgeour told her she would: in the midst of magical law. **

**In the next chapter, be prepared for the birth of James and some touching personal moments. There will also be some passing references to Luna, but, as of yet, no one back in England knows of her difficulties.**

**I apologize in advance for the delay that will follow this post. Please note that its not for lack of trying, its just that whole education thing gets in the way.**

**Until then, please keep reading and reviewing.**

**Onward,**

**RoyalRapier**


	5. Chapter 2: Politics

**Chapter 2 - Politics**

_The Potter's House – Godric's Hollow, Tuesday, June 8, 2004_

It was nearly nine o'clock by the time Harry walked through the front door of his home in Godric's Hollow. The hearing had forced him to stay late at the office in an attempt to catch up on the work he had missed that afternoon. For all he accomplished he might as well not have bothered. Between reporters looking for a scoop on the hearing, Aurors darting in and out with questions, and meetings with the Minister and his directors, all he could do was watch the pile on his desk grow higher and higher. Hanging the dark blue robes of an Auror on the coat rack near the front door, he walked down the hall and turned to the right to pass through the open archway leading into the family room.

There on the couch, her belly fully round with the baby that was due any day and reading a book that appeared to be on parenthood, was Ginny. She lowered the book and smiled at him as he came into the room. He felt himself smile in return, his anxiety and stress vanishing for a brief moment before it returned to him in a flash. It must have shown on his face, for Ginny asked:

"Tough day?"

"You could call it that," Harry replied, dropping into the armchair that set next to the couch near her feet. "Vance kept us in the hearing for hours this morning."

"Us?" she asked curiously.

"He managed to coral Hermione into it as well."

"Ah, and was he up to his usual games?"

"Worse, I'm afraid. Hermione was right, he was planning something big. He's got the Order in his sights this time and it looks to be a pretty fair bind he's got us in."

Ginny's face whitened slightly. "So, what's the plan?"

"Not sure yet, Hermione and Ron are supposedly coming over later, she said she'd bring a few friends."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh dear lord Harry, do you know how much of a pain it is to get dressed like this?" She gestured at her stomach, emphasizing the baggy sweats she wore at the moment.

Harry frowned. "Sorry, I'll go tell Hermione…"

"Harry," Ginny said, rolling her eyes for the second time in as many minutes, and getting up from the couch slowly with a smile on her face. "What fun is this if I can't joke about it? You'd just better hope my water breaks tonight to make this worth it."

Harry laughed. "I think you look beautiful the way you are."

"You would say that."

"Tell you what, I'll come upstairs with you, I should probably change, too. Who knows who these 'friends' of Hermione's are." He stood.

She walked over and stood directly in front of him.

"Really? Are you sure this isn't some macho garbage about making sure I can manage the stairs?" She said teasingly.

"Maybe," Harry replied with a smirk as he bent to give her a short kiss. "So what if it is?"

"You do realize you leave me alone all day to contend with the big bad stairs all by myself."

"You're right, maybe I should see if I can spare a couple of Aurors…"

She smacked him playfully and they made their way upstairs.

"So," Harry asked as they changed. "How was you day?"

"Boring really," she replied. "I can't believe I let you convince me into starting leave before the baby was born. Mom came over again with another parenting book."

"Hmm," Harry replied. "I thought that one looked new."

"Yeah," she said. "Nothing new really. Apparently I shouldn't be surprised if I have cravings during pregnancy."

"You? Cravings? No way?" Harry said sarcastically from across the room.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said hotly. "Since when have I had cravings?"

"Well, let's see, there was the ice cream at three AM last Monday," he began to tic items off with his fingers. "Then there was muggle McDonald's food of all things Sunday…"

Harry stopped when Ginny looked slightly hurt and turned away.

"Gin?" Harry asked, confused. This needling was their thing…she knew that, right? "What fun is this if I can't joke about it?" he said, parroting her response from earlier, jokingly.

"Haha," she said bitterly, still not looking at him.

Concerned now, Harry crossed the room, "Gin, I…"

As he laid his hand on her shoulder, she turned around and, with an evil-looking grin on her face, began tickling his stomach. He jumped backwards with a yelp and fell backwards onto the bed. Ginny braced herself against the dresser as she shook, laughing.

"Oh, Harry, so predictable."

He glared at her, then began laughing, too.

"I am sorry about sending you to random places, you know," Ginny said as her fits of laughter subsided. "I really can't help it."

"Ginny, you've got nothing to be sorry for," Harry said. "The least I can do is cook and run to McDonald's. I just wish there was something else I could do to help."

Ginny smiled. "You remember that when he's born. Those four AM diaper calls…all yours."

Harry snorted and shook his head as the doorbell rang downstairs. They headed out downstairs to greet Hermione, Ron, and (making Harry glad he had changed clothes) two members of the Wizengamut: Lucas Medford, from the committee, and Gwen Tocville, a high-ranking member of Kingsley's coalition, both of whom were also recent additions to the Order (the only two members in the Legislature). Harry invited them in to the dining room while he made tea.

Tocville had been on the Wizengamut since before the reforms. She had resigned in protest during Fudge's administration when the body voted to strip titles from Albus Dumbledore. Since Kingsley took office, she had been the leading voice for the administration in the body. Kingsley largely left her to it, keeping her in his closest circles of advisors. She had been involved in politics for nearly four decades, and at nearly seventy was a force to be reckoned with. Her experience and poise sometimes gave her a persona of arrogance and aloofness, but she was a loyal and passionate ally\who had never wavered from her support since the war.

Medford on the other was a second term representative. A young man in his early thirties, he was a passionate reformer, but had not yet gained the command of parliamentary skills of older delegates. A bright and eloquent speaker, his voice carried significant weight among the younger members of Kingsley's coalition. Since he joined the order, he had been coordinating more closely with Tocville and learning a great deal from the experience. For all of that though, he still often demonstrated his "greenness" as Kingsley had phrased it in private conversations with Harry.

When they were all settled, Hermione looked at the two officials. "I assume we all know why we're here tonight?"

"Mr. Medford has filled me in somewhat on the details from this morning," Tocville said, "but I would like a full accounting before we get started, if no one minds."

* * *

><p>As Ginny listened to Hermione, Harry and Medford describe the hearing that morning, she watched Tocville's face, which she usually kept in the studiously ambivalent cast of an expert politician. As the retelling continued, her face took on a worried grimace that only deepened until they finished.<p>

"Bastard," she mumbled under her breath, but not quite low enough for Ginny and the others not to hear. "He played that one close to his chest," Tocville said at a more conversational volume. "And he played it well, too."

"Well, it's not all bad news," Medford said hopefully. "We did get rid of Yvoa."

Tocville frowned and rubbed her hand across her forehead. "Yes, that's true, but the ball's in motion now. I've been afraid of this since Vance got himself appointed chairman."

"And you didn't think to mention it at a meeting?" Ron said, with a touch of accusation in his voice.

"No, Mr. Weasley, I didn't," she said, slightly haughtily. "It was a feeling; I suspected he had a game. But this is politics, everyone's got a game, and you don't tip your hand, even to your allies if you want to avoid a rockslide."

"Well we've certainly got one now," Ron said sharply, Ginny couldn't help but agree.

"Yes, undoubtedly we do, but we couldn't, and can't, move against Vance in the open. Setting our allies against him would only put his back against the wall, and who knows what he might do. And until now, it was better to let him be."

Ron looked as if he was about to respond, but Hermione beat him to it.

"So," she said, "what now?"

Tocville considered this for a moment.

"Vance is strong while he has his coalition behind him and he has already gotten himself control of the committee. For now, there's no way of undoing that. He managed to get several of the smaller parties on our side to back him for that post. We were hogtied, it couldn't be one of ours, because it would have been unethical to have someone from Kingsley's party investigate his administration. We would have preferred a more moderate figure, but somehow…"

"Vance outmaneuvered you," Harry finished for her.

"Quite," Tocville nodded. "And I'm still not sure how, nor how he welded that coalition together."

"Well," Medford said. "It's too many to bribe or blackmail. Whatever the rumors about Vance."

Ginny considered this. Before making his way onto the political scene, Vance and his family had made their money in real estate. They had a reputation for buying properties for less than they were worth and selling them for more. Rumor had it that several tenants of land the Vances had their eye on had mysteriously disappeared with no heirs, and there had been stunningly little attention paid to the family over the years.

"Not necessarily," Ginny disagreed. "Not if he got to the right people. The right legislatures could sway more votes than their own."

Tocville looked at her strangely. "You took the words right out my mouth, Mrs. Potter. You have quite the keen instincts for someone who has never aspired to public office."

Ginny smirked at that and glanced at Harry. "For some reason, politics always finds its way home at night."

Tocville nodded, her eyes taking on a slightly calculating look as Ginny felt herself being reevaluated. _Always a politician_, she thought with mixed feelings.

"Anyway," Tocville continued. "The problem is that, even if we could get rid of Vance, the committee has already begun its work and after today it's bound to be a close inspection. It will be a close shave to get the Order past it undetected."

"Yes," Harry said solemnly. "I can think of a few parts of the conduct of the investigation that will be tough to hold up under closer scrutiny."

"But easier to hold up without Vance directing the investigation," Hermione put forward.

"A fair point," Medford ventured. "But unless his hold on the other members is unethical, and we can prove it, he has every right to his opinions and his position."

"A coalition doesn't form itself out of thin air that quickly by purely ethical means," Harry observed.

"No," Tocville said, making a steeple out of her hands in front of her as she thought. "No, it doesn't. I can find out how Vance has gotten his support, of that I'm sure. Thirty years' worth of connections does have its advantages."

"But won't Vance know you're poking around?" Hermione asked. "If he is all we have reason to believe, that could be dangerous."

"Not if I'm careful," Tocville answered. "But yes, it's risky…however, I don't see that we have much other choice. And it's much safer for me to do it. It would take a great deal of skill for Vance to come after me and keep it quiet. In the meantime though, we need to slow him down."

"I can do that," Medford said. "The committee meets tomorrow to discuss how to proceed, if we set the agenda right, we can steer Vance away from the most controversial items, at least for a while."

"Do you have the votes to do that?" Ron asked.

"I can get three, maybe four on the committee to go along," Medford answered. "With your help," he nodded to Tocville, "we should be able to swing a pretty substantial majority. We won't be able to avoid all the sensitive subjects though and there's not much I can do about the questions unless they totally exceed the boundaries of reason."

"Leave that to Harry and I," Hermione said. "We should be able to fend off most of the digging for the moment."

"Right then," Harry said. "Gwen, Lucas, if you need the Order, don't hesitate. We can manage most of the investigating if you need it."

Tocville and Medford nodded to him. "We know, Mr. Potter. Don't you worry about Praetorius Vance, this is my area of expertise. I've dealt with my share of crafty opponents in my day. Administrations always stand on the precipice, the trick is not to let the public see it." She winked.

Hermione watched as Tocville and Medford finished their tea and departed, leaving the four of them sitting at the table.

"You know," Ron mused. "I'm never sure whether or not I like her. That Medford, he seems like a good bloke, but her…you can never read her."

"I bet most of her opponents have thought the same thing," Hermione pointed out. "That's what make her good at what she does."

"I'm just glad she's on our side," Harry said as he stood up. "Gin, how about a late supper?" It was nearly ten o'clock. "I'm starving."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ginny said, grinning. "I hadn't eaten yet either."

Harry rolled his eyes. "You know, if you learned how to cook, you wouldn't have to wait on me all the time."

Hermione chucked as Ginny gave an exaggerated huff and looked away. Harry went into the kitchen and they soon heard the clatter of pans. Ginny looked back at her and Ron with a smile.

"You two have got to be the weirdest couple on the planet," Ron said shaking his head. "That was about the lamest fight I've ever seen."

"That's because it wasn't a…" Ginny stopped in midsentence and made a strange face that briefly became a grimace. Hermione froze with her eyes on her friend, concerned.

"Ummm…Harry," Ginny called tremulously, pushing back her chair.

"Yes?" he said, poking his head back through the doorway, his expression showing slight concern at the tone of her voice.

"You might want to put that dinner on hold," Ginny said.

"Why?"

"Because I think my water just broke."

After five minutes of frantic movement in which Harry shouted at Ron to grab the pre-packed bag that had sat by the front door for three weeks, he threw pans in the sink and shut off the stove, Ron finally found the bag, and Hermione helped Ginny to the door, they were gone. James Sirius Potter was on his way.


	6. Chapter 3: Godparents

**Chapter 3 – Godparents**

_St. Mungo's Maternity Ward – London, Tuesday, June 8, 2004_

Ron turned a page in his magazine. Hermione was sitting in a padded wooden chair next to him in the small waiting room , facing the double doors. George and Angelina occupied two chairs on the left side of the room where they were talking quietly with Percy and Audrey who had arrived fifteen minutes ago and pulled two chairs out from the wall. Between them set a low wooden table with an assortment of magazines on it.

There was a commotion down the hall, Ron looked and saw his parents rushing up the hallway, his mom in the lead, her robes flapping all the way. Walking more slowly up the hall behind them were Bill and Fleur. Victoire was asleep as her father carried the three year old up the hall. Fleur held the hand of a slightly older boy whose hair, at the moment, was a brilliant shade of blue. They had stopped by Andromeda Tonks' house on their way. Andromeda had sent Teddy ahead while she got ready.

In a full fluster, Mrs. Weasley hurried over to him and Hermione. "When did they go in? Was everything alright? Have you heard anything? Did Ginny look alright?," she fired all of these questions without taking a single breath. When Hermione just looked blankly ahead, she urgently added. "Well?"

"Mum," Ron said, "We got here about thirty minutes ago, she looked fine. Harry went in with her, we haven't heard anything yet."

"Molly," Arthur Weasley said, having fell behind in the final stretch. "Just relax, I'm sure everything's fine."

"Relax? Relax?" Molly's voice took on a shrill tone. "Arthur Weasley, don't you tell me…"

At just that moment, the double doors opened, causing everyone to look as Harry stepped out, looking stressed and excited. He kept his hand in the door as if he was about to bolt back inside.

"Hey," he said with a slight edge of breathlessness. "Ginny sent me out to tell all of you that everything is fine. She just started labor, so it may be a while. She says you all should get some sleep…" he glanced around the waiting room…"but, since it doesn't look like that's going to happen, I'll let you know if anything comes up." And with that, he disappeared back through the doors.

He didn't hear the small voice say "Uncle Harry" before the doors closed, but Ron did. As he looked over at the discouraged expression on little Teddy Lupin's face, his Mum started again.

"But…but…well that's just…what does fine mean?"

"M..Mum," Hermione said softly, "would you like to go upstairs for a cup of tea?"

Molly looked for a moment as if she would refuse, then took a deep breath to steady herself and said, "Yes…yes, dear, I think that might do me some good.

Ron shook his head as they walked off down the hall, falling into conversation as they went. He glanced at his father and Arthur simply shrugged and moved off to talk with the four people across the room. Ron, meanwhile, focused his attention on the small boy who had settled himself in a chair across the room and looked, in turns, anxious and downtrodden. Ron almost stood up to go over to Teddy, but stopped himself…Teddy didn't want to talk to him after all. He resolved to catch Harry the next time he appeared at the door.

* * *

><p>"It just doesn't seem right," Mrs. Weasley was saying as she sipped her tea in the small tea room several floors above where the others were waiting. "I remember the three of you sitting around my table discussing your school lists like it was yesterday. How have you all grown up so fast?"<p>

Hermione paused to consider this for a moment. Harry and Ginny, two of her best friends…her former school mates, were about to become parents. It was a bizarre and slightly terrifying thought. When had they all become adults?

"Well, none of us really had a choice under the circumstances," Hermione said solemnly. "But I don't know how it's been six years since the War."

Molly's eyes started to water slightly. "And my youngest is about to be a mother. I'm so happy and so sad at the same time. I just wish…" Fred's name hung in the air as if it had been spoken.

"He is here," Hermione said softly. "He's probably in there laughing hysterically at the look on Harry's face right now."

Molly chuckled slightly at that. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Oh, I do hope Ginerva isn't too nasty to that poor boy in there. I still almost feel bad for the tongue lashing I always gave Arthur."

"Almost?"

"Well," she paused. "I was doing all the work after all…"

They passed the next several hours talking and laughing, imagining the trials and travails that Ginny was putting Harry through at the moment. And though neither of them would have noticed; sometimes, in the slight echo of a laugh or a twinkle in the eye there was a ghost of a mischief maker who may have died, but had never left.

* * *

><p>"Potter," Ginny said forcefully between heavy breaths, her face red from exertion. "Next time…this…is your job."<p>

Struggling to keep a straight face in response to that and several similar comments that had been continuously coming from his wife for the past two hours, Harry continued to hold her right hand with both of his from his spot near the head of her bed.

"I'm not sure that will work, Gin."

"Just … hand me… my wand…and we'll see about that," she panted, the ghost of a smile briefly on her face.

"I think I prefer your wand where it is," Harry replied, lifting his left hand to pat the pocket of his robes.

Ginny's response was lost as the contractions became progressively more intense.

"Almost there, that's it, almost…" cooed the female healer at the foot of the bed. "Just a few more."

One…Two…Three more pushes and then…silence for a few heart-stopping seconds, before the cries of a newborn baby split the air of the hospital room. As the healers surrounded the infant, checking vital signs and blocking any view of the baby, Harry felt a jolt of excitement and anxiety. He turned and looked at Ginny who was now lying back against the pillows, her face drenched with sweat. But far from exhaustion…he saw his own feelings mirrored in her eyes.

The baby boy that was laid in his mother's arms a few short minutes later was the most beautiful thing that Harry had ever seen. James Sirius Potter's cries stopped almost as soon as Ginny took hold of him and pulled him to her chest. Harry bent down to kiss his son's forehead and James gave the first of the smiles that only a baby can. He then turned to peck his wife briefly on the lips.

"We're parents, Harry," she murmured, a wide smile on her face as she alternated between looking at her husband and the baby. Harry felt a grin, as wide as he could ever remember, split his face. For a moment, he physically felt the presence of his beaming parents. His mind was taken back to the month before Ginny left for her final year of Hogwarts. They had left the Burrow on broomsticks, planning to have a picnic in a field Ginny knew, far from Ron's prying eyes…

_ …As they flew, Harry could not help watch how effortlessly Ginny flew, how at home she looked soaring toward wherever they were going._

_ Harry yelped in surprise as Ginny suddenly reversed course and attempted to knock him off his broom, a demonically impish look on her face. He saved himself only with a well-executed barrel roll at the last minute. Accelerating quickly, he spun around and caught her around the middle, expertly lifting her off her own broom. As the dismounted broomstick fell to the clearing below, Harry hoisted Ginny on to the front of his own._

_ "Nice try, Weasley," he said as she shook with laughter._

_ "Psh…whatever Potter," she said, twisting her neck around to look at him. "I let you escape. I wouldn't want you to fall and hurt yourself."_

_ "Whatever you say, but I'm not the one who lost their broomstick."_

_ Laughing, they descended to the clearing below where Ginny recovered her fallen mode of transportation and they settled in a comfortable spot where the sun shone brightly and a slight breeze ruffled their hair. The meal that followed was full of conversation, memories and laughter after which they lay in the grass, Ginny's head rested in the crook of Harry's arm._

_ "Harry," Ginny said lazily._

_ "Yes, Gin?"_

_ "I just had a terrible thought."_

_ "Oh?"_

_ "Someday we're going to be parents and won't be able to fly like that anymore…or do any of the risky, fun stuff anymore."_

_ "No," Harry said slyly. "We won't be able to do it where the kids can see…"_

_ They both laughed for several minutes before silence fell again._

_ "Gin?" Harry said softly, his voice more serious now._

_ "Yes, Harry?"_

_ "I'm afraid."_

_ "Of what?"_

_ "Well, I've never actually had a father…and I…what if I don't do it right?"_

_ Ginny leaned up to look at him. "Harry, trust me…you'll be a great father."_

_ "But how do you…" she put a finger to his lips._

_ "Because I've seen you with Teddy and because you are the kindest, sweetest boy I know. Plus, you have me there, what could go wrong?"_

_ Harry smiled at her, reassured as only Ginny could make him. "Now why did you have to go and add that last part…you had me feeling better."_

_ She punched him playfully in the ribs, "jerk."_

_ "What happened to 'the kindest, sweetest boy you know?'"_

_ "He's a git," she said with a huge smile._

_ "Did I ever mention I'm lucky to have you?"_

_ "Nice try," Ginny sniffed in mock indignation_

_ "No seriously."_

_ "Harry Potter, if you think you are going to…" He kissed her. He felt her smile beneath his lips._

_ "Did I ever mention I'm lucky to have you, too?"_

Harry looked at his wife and newborn son. "We're parents," he parroted.

Ginny turned her attention to the baby in her arms. "Well, hello James," she said softly. "It's good to finally be able to see you." James gurgled softly in reply.

Harry sat with his family for a few more moments then went to go fill in the others. As he reached the delivery room door, he turned.

"Did I mention I'm still lucky to have you?" he said, looking his wife squarely in the eyes.

She smiled. "Did I mention I'm still lucky to have you, too?"

* * *

><p>Ron looked up as the doors swung open in the early hours of the morning. Harry entered the waiting room looking tired but exhilarated.<p>

"He's born!" he called exultantly. "Everyone is fine and James is with his mother. The healers say you can come back for a few minutes if you want, but then Ginny needs to rest." There was a motion as everyone stood to head back through the double doors.

Ron hurried over to grab Harry's sleeve. His friend turned around with a questioning look and Ron shrugged towards the one person in the room who hadn't stood or looked excited: Teddy. Harry's face took on an expression of concern. He nodded and headed towards the small boy. Ron turned and headed back to check on his sister and meet his new nephew.

* * *

><p>Harry approached the seat where Teddy was hunched, looking at the floor. As he reached it, he crouched down and looked at his godson.<p>

"Teddy?"

Teddy didn't respond.

"What's wrong, buddy?"

Teddy stirred slightly.

"Don't you want to meet James?

"No," Teddy said glumly.

"No?" Harry said, taken aback. "Why not?"

"Because…"

"Because what Teddy? I'm sure he…"

"Because now that you have _him_ you won't have time to spend time with me anymore!" Teddy burst out, he began to cry.

A wave of understanding washed over Harry all at once. Teddy was afraid that he would be ignored now that James was around…that he wouldn't get to spend time with his "Aunt" and "Uncle" anymore.

"Oh, Teddy," Harry said softly. "Do your really think that? Look at me." Harry placed his hand under the small boy's chin and gently raised his tear-lined face so that their eyes met. "I will never…ever…ever be too busy to spend time with you. Do you hear me? Never."

"James is not more important to me than you. I love you both. Do you understand?" Teddy's sobs lessened and he nodded.

"Besides," Harry continued. "Your Aunt Ginny and I have never been a Mommy or Daddy before. We're going to need lots of help and James is going to need a big brother to look after him, especially now that he's just a baby. Do you think you might be able to help all of us?"

Teddy stopped crying now and nodded enthusiastically. There was a sparkle of excitement in his eyes now where there had been tears.

"Are you sure? It's a big job."

"I can do it, Uncle Harry! You watch." Teddy said, hopping out of the chair and into Harry's arms. Harry wrapped him in a firm hug.

"I know you can Teddy. I'm counting on you. Aunt Ginny and I are really new at this."

Teddy leaned back as Harry loosened the hug. "You'll be a great daddy Uncle Harry! You're loads of fun!" Harry smiled widely at this. "And Aunt Ginny will be a good mommy, too! She always makes sure you do what you're supposed to."

"Oh does she?" Harry laughed, tickling his godson so that his giggles echoed down the hallway. "Well let's go tell her that, huh?"

"And meet James!" Teddy said excitedly.

"Yes, he is very excited to meet you!" Harry said, picking Teddy up and carrying him towards the door.

* * *

><p>Ginny beamed as her family entered the delivery room and crowded around the bed to meet James. There were offers of congratulations and smiles and laughter all around.<p>

Focusing on Ron and Hermione, she said "You'll both be godparents?"

"Us?" Hermione asked, looking at Ron. "Yes! Yes, we'd be glad to."

"Honored," Ron mumbled.

The delivery room door opened and Harry entered, carrying Teddy. The young boy looked as if he had been crying, but he was all smiles now as Harry carried him closer to the bed. A look of wonder crossed his face as he beheld the newborn laying in Ginny's arms.

"He's so small," Teddy said in amazement. Those gathered around laughed.

"Don't worry, Gin," Harry said brightly. "Teddy says we're going to be great parents! Tell her why Teddy."

"Because Uncle Harry's loads of fun and you make him do what he's supposed to!" Teddy said loudly. The room dissolved into laughter; even James gurgled with amusement.

As the conversations and entertainment continued, Ginny felt the exhaustion begin to take its toll as she was lulled towards sleep by an overwhelming sense of contentment. She only wished Luna wasn't out of the country. James apparently agreed as he stretched his tiny fists and opened his mouth in what could only be a yawn.

Catching this, Ginny heard Harry suggest that everyone go get some rest and come back tomorrow. After a prolonged series of goodbyes, during which Harry held Teddy over the bed so he could kiss James on the forehead, the guests departed.

"You should get some rest, too " Ginny mumbled sleepily.

"I will," Harry said, gesturing to an armchair with a stool for his feet.

"Harry…"

"I won't sleep anywhere else, what with my wife and newborn son here? This is where I belong. I'll go by the house and shower and gets some clothes in the morning. Don't worry about me."

"What about work?"

"They can do without me for a few days until you are home at least, I'll write Kingsley before I go to sleep, now get some rest." Ginny felt herself smile, the glow of happiness she had felt for the last hour and a half making it impossible for her to form any other expression.

A healer came into the room to move James into a small infant's bed that she sat next to Ginny, close to the armchair.

Ginny felt herself drifting off to sleep.

"Harry," she muttered. "I love you…so very much, and you too James."

"I love you, too Gin and you James, more than anything."

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**Hey guys! Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I have had classes galore, plus writers block. For whatever reason, I couldn't get in the mood to write and I didn't want to put out junk, which is how this third chapter has been looking until tonight. Please let me know what you think through reviews and thanks for sticking with me! It may be a while before I post again, but as always, I haven't forgotten you!**

**I wish I had time to give a longer note with my reasoning and favorite parts of this chapter, but it's getting late and I do have class tomorrow (silly college, always getting in the way of my fun). If you have any questions or would like to know the reasoning behind anything, please post it in a review or send me a message and I will try to get back to you ASAP.**

**Thanks again for waiting and reading! Please keep the reviews coming.**

**Onward!**

**RoyalRapier**


	7. Chapter 4: Luna's Return

**Chapter 4 – Luna's Return**

_Ron and Hermione's Flat – London, Saturday, June 12, 2004_

Ron stared out the flat window at the unusually heavy summer rain that had descended on the city of London since the previous evening visible in the patches of light made by the muggle's streetlamps. Hermione could be heard in the adjacent bathroom readying herself for bed. It was nearly eleven o'clock and the two of them had just returned from dinner with one of her co-workers and his wife. Ron had not particularly enjoyed their company, but Hermione had insisted that he come, too ("Look Ronald, I know they're not _fascinating_, but the social aspect is part of a government job.").

Harry, Ginny and James had returned home on Wednesday and the new parents seemed to be adjusting well to the new size of their family, although both of them had appeared somewhat haggard when he had visited Thursday evening. James was expected to make his first outing on Sunday for the habitual Weasley family dinner and Ron could not help but feel for his father who was bound to be burdened with a multitude of tasks at the moment by a very excited grandmother.

Hermione entered the bedroom and joined him under the covers as Ron waved his wand to extinguish the bed-side lamp that had been providing light to the room.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight Ron," Hermione said as they settled in.

"It's no problem," Ron replied somewhat sleepily. "We haven't been able to go out to dinner for a while."

"Well, I know it's a lot to ask for you to go out after you've spent all day in training. And even more for you to sit through three hours of politicking."

"To be honest, I just kind of doze with my eyes open," Ron quipped.

Hermione chuckled. "I would be upset if I didn't know that wasn't true."

"What, you don't think I can be subtle?" Ron struggled to retain a straight face.

"Ron, you have all the subtlety of a rampaging grizzly AND you snore when you sleep."

Ron leaned over and pecked her on the lips.

"That's why you love me."

Hermione rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to make a retort, but she was interrupted.

A frantic knocking from the front door caused both of them to jump. Ron grabbed his wand from the bedside table and hurried down the stairs. He could hear Hermione right on his tail. As they reached the door, she swept her wand, turning on the light in the entryway. Holding his wand a the ready, Ron opened the door and froze at the sight.

Bedraggled, cut, and with clothes that were in tatters stood Luna Lovegood and five individuals Ron did not know. One was tall with sandy brown hair and piercing gray eyes…his outfit appeared to have once been meant for rugged outdoor work and was probably the least damaged of the group. Three other men, in various states of injury stood in the doorway. Two of them supported an unconscious woman who was bleeding from a gash on her right temple. Another woman stood guard with her back to the doorway, frantically directing her wand from side to side.

"Luna…what?.." Hermione started.

"Please, can we get out of the open first?" Luna interrupted in a hoarse and panicked whisper. "It's not safe."

Ron pulled the door wide and moved out of the way, setting a few extra defensive charms as the last of the group hurried in. Hermione led the way into the sitting room before hurrying into the kitchen to fetch bandages. Ron followed her, thinking to grab something to eat and drink for the bunch…who appeared to have been on the run from something for quite some time.

As he entered the kitchen, Hermione turned to him. "We should tell Harry," she said. "I can handle this."

Ron returned to their bedroom, which had a small fireplace set in one wall, and picked a bit of floo powder up in his hand.

"18 Pinemeadow Road!" he called, sticking his head into the fireplace.

He found himself looking at the darkened sitting room of the Potter residence.

"HARRY!" he called. "GINNY!"

Ron heard James begin to cry from upstairs and winced.

"BLOODY HELL RONALD!" came his sister's voice as he heard to people moving in the upper part of the house.

"I'm sure there's a reason Ginny, I'll go talk…"

"No, Harry, let me talk to my brother…"

Ron heard footsteps on the stairs. The light came on and his sister came into view. Had it not been for the urgency of the present situation, Ron would have winced again at the expression on her face.

"Really, I know this is all new to everyone, but IT'S TEN O'CLOCK…" Ginny stopped in mid tirade. Something in Ron's expression must have shown that it was an emergency. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Luna's back…and some others. They don't look to be in good shape."

"Is she hurt?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"She looks a little worse for the wear. Hermione and I checked that it was really her. We don't know what happened, but Harry needs to be here…"

"I'll get him."

Ginny turned and hurried back up the stairs. A few moments later Harry came quickly to the fireplace.

"Luna's back? What's happened?"

"We don't know for sure yet. Hermione is tending to them now, but we wanted to let you know as soon as possible. Luna said they were in danger in the open"

"Alright, I'm coming through."

"I'm going back down to make sure everything is ok downstairs."

* * *

><p>Harry turned from the fireplace to see Ginny holding a now-silent, but still upset looking, James.<p>

"I'll be back as soon as I can, I…"

"Go Harry, someone has to stay with James. We'll be fine."

"Luna said something about it being dangerous, I don't know…"

Ginny moved her hip slightly and Harry saw the handle of her wand emerging from the waistband of her pajama bottoms.

"I've got it covered."

"Of course," Harry replied, Ginny was usually several steps ahead of him. He moved quickly into the hallway, and swung a cloak around his shoulders. He gave Ginny a quick kiss and squeezed her hand briefly has he passed back towards the fireplace. After checking his wand in his robe pocket, Harry turned back to his wife.

"I'll keep you posted," he said before disappearing into the fireplace.

* * *

><p>Back downstairs, Hermione was wrapping the head of the injured woman, while the rest of the bedraggled party ravenously attacked the left-overs she had hap-hazardly pulled from the icebox in the kitchen.<p>

"We called Harry," Hermione said to Luna as she worked. "Do you want to wait for him?"

"I don't know," Luna said, lacking her usual distant demeanor in the present circumstances. "I don't know if it's safe to stay…"

She was cut off as Ron re-entered the room.

"Harry is on his way," he reported. "Have we heard…"

At precisely that moment, Ron's wards gave them just enough warning to dive to the ground before the front door to the flat, as well as a majority of the door-jam, was blasted inwards. Through the doorway, wands held high came ten figures in masks Hermione had not seen for six years. The Death Eaters moved cautiously into the room as if waiting for some sort of signal. Hermione raised her wand to cast a spell.

The exterior wall of the flat was blasted inwards as a huge, black, six-legged creature leapt through the brick and mortar structure, landing with a terrific snarl. It's horse-shaped head whipped around and the beast's jaws closed around the middle of one of the men who had arrived with Luna. His cries of agony filled the apartment as jets of green light began to fire from the Death Eaters' wands. Hermione saw Ron flick his wand, causing an armchair to intercept a lethal missile as he dragged Luna to the wall and behind the cover of the sofa, which had been overturned by the monster's entrance.

Driving her arms hard into the floor, Hermione propelled herself to her feet. As she rose, a sweeping motion of her wand sent a collection of photographs from the wall hurling into the mass of Death Eaters who scattered to avoid the barrage. Turning her attention back to the beast, Hermione ducked just in time to avoid a swipe from one of its vicious looking claws. From across the room, she saw Luna hurl a Conjunctivitus curse at the monster, which reared, badly scraping the ceiling, and began to thrash around the room, causing combatants to scramble to avoid its wrath.

As Hermione took cover behind one side of the bookcases set against the wall, she immediately surveyed the present state of her and her compatriot's situation. It was not looking good. The man who had been grabbed by the monster lay crumpled on the floor…he was likely dead. The wounded woman was lying somewhere near the coffee table, unable to move to defend herself and defended by one of the other men who was desperately blocking spells while attempting to drag the body out of the path of the monster. Ron, Luna and the final woman were equally frantic in their attempts to fend off spells from Death Eaters who were now advancing steadily, confident in their numbers. As she watched, the three of them were scattered by the beast, which had apparently located them either by sound or smell.

At precisely that moment, Hermione saw movement near the top of the staircase out of the corner of her eye. There at the top of the stairs, behind the Death Eaters, his wand in hand appeared Harry at a full run. As he descended the stairs two at a time, he launched a series of curses at the attackers exposed backs. The first slammed hard into the back of one of the masked figures, sending him flying into the waiting jaws of the blinded monster. As he screamed, a second curse launched a further Death Eater into the far wall, where he collapsed wordlessly. A third crumpled a masked figure as he turned.

While the rest of the Death Eaters turned to face their new foe, Hermione darted forward to assist the man near the table in dragging the wounded woman out of harms way. As they pulled, the monster turned to face them and bared it's fangs. With her free arm, Hermione shot a freezing spell at the creature, which bounced off its hide harmlessly as it began to charge.

As it approached, Hermione did the only thing she could think of. Swiping her wand, she propelled both the man and the woman out of the way and dove to the floor. As the monster charged overhead, it's rear-right claw caught her on the shoulder. Gasping in pain, Hermione aimed her wand at the creature's now visible underbody and for the first (and what would be the only) time a flash of green erupted from the tip. The creature crumpled as its momentum carried it forward, where it collided with the bookcases and brought them tumbling down upon it's now still carcass.

Hermione felt the warm blood flowing freely down her left arm as she struggled to her feet to rejoin the fight. Three Death Eaters now stood back to back in the center of the room, their compatriots having been caught in a cross fire as they turned to confront Harry.

Ron and Luna made nearly identical wand movements, from the right of the three men, aimed high and brought the hanging light fixture crashing down in the middle of the wizards, forcing them to scatter. A blast of red light from the wizard Hermione had forced out of the monster's way caught one in the face as he tried to regain his footing, stunning him. Harry's body-lock spell caught a second one where he a dived to the ground and Ron neatly stunned the final wizard as he turned to retaliate against the wizard on the far side of the room.

As the last Death Eater fell to the ground, Hermione felt herself sway slightly as her vision blurred for a brief second. She found herself on the ground again, with Ron kneeling over her. A distant part of her brain registered that the cut on her shoulder must have been much deeper than she thought. She felt Ron's wand touch near her wound.

"What…are..yo…you…d..?" she struggled to form a coherent sentence through the growing fog.

"Shh…" Ron whispered in a panicked way. "The claw severed an artery running through your shoulder, I'm trying to stop the bleeding."

"Wh..did..y..learn…"

The fog took her as she passed out.

* * *

><p>"Make sure that's all of them!" Harry called to Luna and the witch and wizards standing in the room as he rushed to Ron's side.<p>

"How is she?" he asked, catching the note of panic in his own voice.

"I've stopped the bleeding, but she needs a potion to replenish the blood…she's lost a lot very quickly."

"We'll get her back to headquarters, we can treat her there … we can't risk St. Mungo's until we find out what's going on. I'll call the order."

Harry stood and directed his wand to the Phoenix emblazoned ring that had become visible on his own hand. Looking to Luna, he said: "Get Hermione and the other injured to my place as soon as possible and tell Ginny that the Order is coming."

"Ron," he continued. "We need to get anything you and Hermione need or of value out of here. It's not safe. You can both stay with Ginny and I until we figure this out."

Ron looked as if he was about to object. Harry could understand, imagining his own reaction if someone had asked him to leave Ginny in the state Hermione was currently in. He took a step closer.

"Look, I know you want to be with Hermione, believe me I understand. But you're the only one who knows where everything is and who can get what you need together quickly while I stand guard. We need to get out of here…"

Ron seemed to shake himself and nodded. Luna pointed her wand at Hermione and levitated her up the stairs. One of the wizards did the same with the unconscious witch and the fallen wizard, who it was now apparent had been killed by the monster's attack. The other wizard and witch followed close behind, wands at the ready.

Harry stood in the center of the room, wand held tightly as Ron scrambled to quickly pack what was important and salvageable from around the apartment. Deft use of expansion charms allowed most of Hermione's books, a fair amount of clothes and any other valuable possessions to be gathered, if not neatly, and packed within twenty minutes. Harry helped him move them up the stairs and send them through the grate. Ron then hurried after them. Harry stepped into the grate immediately afterwards.

Emerging into his own sitting room, he extinguished the fire behind him. Hermione and the injured witch had been laid out on sofas. Ginny was administering potions to Hermione, while Molly Weasley, who must have arrived in the past few moments, tended to the other witch. The deceased wizard had been lain on a rug in the corner of the room and covered with a white sheet. Various Order members milled about checking wards or peering out windows.

Harry turned to Luna who was standing near the bedside of the witch and opened his mouth to ask her what had happened and who her fellow travelers were when a bright silver lion appeared in front of him. The patronus spoke with Kendric Eastloft's voice.

"Commissioner Potter, urgent, Gwen Tocville murdered at her home…several others dead. Come immediately."

The silver lion vanished from the room.

Harry looked to Arthur Weasley who emerged from the kitchen carrying steaming bandages towards where his wife and daughter were working.

"Please get everyone together when you can. No one leaves alone. I'm meeting Eastloft at Gwen Tocville's house. When I get back…we'll figure out what the hell is going on."

Harry hurried towards the door and turned on his heel as soon as he left the boundary of the wards. As he appeared at the entrance to the Tocville residence he was met by a grim-looking Eastloft. Before he could utter a word an anguished cry split the air from inside the residence.

Through the doorway, Harry saw the figure of Lucas Medford bent over the still forms of a young woman and small girl. Eastloft confirmed what Harry's leaden heart already knew.

"His wife and daughter…"

**NOTE TO THE READERS:**

**I'm back! At least temporarily! Sorry for the INCREDIBLY long delay. This chapter pretty much speaks for itself...more info on what's going on coming up in the next installment.  
><strong>

**Onward,  
><strong>

**RoyalRapier  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 5: Black Dawn

**Chapter 5 – Black Dawn**

_Gwen Tocville's Home – London, Sunday, June 13, 2004_

Harry remained frozen where he stood. He had met Medford's wife and daughter. Emily Medford was a strong and courageous woman; she had been beside Lucas every step of his political career. Lucy was only twelve; she had been a bright-eyed and engaging child who had topped her class in her first year at Hogwarts. Harry closed his eyes as he felt a tear slide down his cheek. Steeling himself, he turned to Eastloft.

The grim-faced Director reached forward and grabbed Harry's wrist. Raising the hand, he pressed a ring into his palm. Harry looked down to see the marker of a member of the Order.

"Gwen's…" Eastloft said gruffly. "I managed to get it off before it was found. I was first on the scene."

Harry nodded.

"Director…" Eastloft continued gravely. "It was visible."

Harry shot a look at Eastloft to confirm he had heard correctly. Eastloft nodded. Harry responded by shaking his head slightly to indicate they would discuss it later. Instead he asked the question he was dreading to know the answer to.

"And Lucas' other daughter?" Amelia Medford was three years old.

"She was with her grandmother tonight. Lucas, Emily and Lucy were having dinner with Gwen; Lucas was late getting out of the office. When he got here…" Eastloft didn't finish the sentence. There was no need. "We've placed both her and the grandmother in protective custody at the ministry."

Harry stepped forward towards the doorway. Each step was an effort. He found himself bombarded with images of Ginny dead on the floor … or James dead in his crib…or Ron or Hermione or… Harry forced himself to stop. He passed through the doorway and stopped next to Lucas Medford. Medford didn't move from where he sobbed uncontrollably, his wife and daughter pulled close to him.

"Lucas…" Harry said softly. "Lucas…we need to move them…" Medford did not respond. Harry reached forward tentatively and grasped his shoulder. Medford looked up angrily and opened his mouth as if to shout, but upon seeing Harry his features once again collapsed and he began to sob. Harry knelt next to him.

"Lucas…we need to let my men do their job…or we'll never know who did this."

Lucas looked Harry in the eyes and nodded slightly. Harry stood and offered his hand, he pulled Medford up and guided him out into the open air. "They'll be gentle…"

Lucas nodded again. When they stopped, he turned and looked Harry straight in the eyes.

"I…I can't do this, Harry," he croaked. "I'm not strong enough…if I'd only been here…"

"You'd be dead, too"

"What would you know about it?" Medford snapped. Then his face fell again. "I'm sorry..of course you…the War…"

"Don't…" Harry said softly. "There's nothing to forgive."

"I…I don't know how I'm going to raise Amelia…how I'll even tell…" He fell on the ground and let out a cry of anguish that caused Harry's tears to fall even faster. He knelt next to Lucas once again, but remained silent. There was nothing to say.

It was nearly twenty minutes later that an Auror approached. Harry stood.

"We're done, sir." He reported. "They're being moved to St. Mungo's."

Harry nodded. The Auror left. Harry knelt again.

"Lucas, they're taking Emily and Lucy to St. Mungo's now…Amelia and your mother in law are in protective custody at the Ministry. Would you…"

Lucas stopped him in mid-sentence as he looked up and into Harry's eyes. There Harry saw what it truly meant to be defeated…hopeless. Lucas stood and waived his left hand over his right. He removed the ring.

"I will go to Amelia…and then…and then, I have…things to tend to," he glanced at the bodies being levitated from the house under white sheets. "Harry…I…" He handed Harry his ring and turned to leave. Harry turned to Eastloft who had approached where they were standing and nodded his head at Lucas. Eastloft accompanied him to the edge of the property and they disapparated.

Harry turned and went back into the house. He was met by a middle aged Auror named McWinden.

"What happened?" Harry said simply.

"As best we know sir they burst through the front door as they set down for dinner. Mrs. Medford and the little girl were killed quickly, probably with the Avada Kedavra. Lady Tocville though…well I've not seen anything like it. She looks as though she was electrocuted, there is blood coming from where…" the Auror blanched. "…where her eyes and ears used to be. It was not an easy death."

Harry nodded grimly.

"And there's one other thing…"

Harry waited for McWinden to continue.

"Nothing magical around where we found her seems to work anymore."

"Thank you, McWinden. Keep me posted. A senior member of the Wizengamot has been murdered, I need to inform the Minister and McKenna."

"Yes, sir."

Harry turned and headed for the Ministry where he would report to McKenna. The Minister was with the rest of the Order…they would be next.

* * *

><p>Ginny waited anxiously as the hours passed. It was nearly dawn by the time Harry returned. No one had slept. Hermione had come around and was sitting on the couch, looking feint. Ron sat next to her, with her head on his shoulder.<p>

Harry's face was even grimmer than when he left. All eyes turned to him as he stepped into the room. He turned to look at Luna who seemed responded to the question that did not need to be voiced aloud. She began to recount the story they had all been waiting to hear.

"They're Death Eaters, or what's left of them. They are hunting members of the Order, whether for revenge or simply to get us out of the way, I don't know."

"As you all know, I went to America to help the new Order there. There had been disappearances in the swamps of Louisiana…they had not heard from several of their people. One of the American's more experienced Order members and I went in to look around, hoping to be able to track them and report back. We found them in time to see them murder one of the Order members they had captured…their leader had some sort of staff…he said it was ancient, from the people who used to live in that a land. It sucks the magic out of a person…it looks like purple lighting destroying them, shooting through and out of them…it was…" she paused.

Harry put his face in his hand. "I've seen it," he said quietly. The rest of the room turned to look at him. "It's how they killed Gwen."

The faces of the Order members hardened. Luna continued. "Then one of those creatures, the monsters like tonight, it found us…and then they were chasing us and they got Michael and…" Luna began to cry. Ginny went to comfort her, but Luna shook her head. "No…I need to finish…They chased me for some weeks, I barely stayed ahead of them. After a few days, most of them left my trail. I didn't know why at the time, but it was to go hunt down the rest of the American Order. Finally though, they caught up to me. There were six of them. I thought I was done. But then Rolf came." Luna looked to the sandy-haired man to her left and for a moment her usual airy demeanor returned. "Oh, I guess we really haven't introduced Harry to any of you…"

She looked at the sandy-haired man. "This is Rolf Scamander." She looked at the other two men. One was tall with black hair, the other rather shorter and rounder with light brown. "These are Raymond Manktn," she looked at the black-haired man, "and Tom Arnold." Luna turned next to the woman standing near the fireplace. "That is Rebecca Henthorn, and the woman on the couch is Penny Tarrow. The other man was Patrick Dartman. They, except for Rolf, are all that is left of the American Order."

Ginny gasped. She was not alone. The American branch had had nearly thirty wizards in it. How could there be only four left. Tom Arnold seemed to sense this question.

"They came on most of us without warning. After Rolf saved her, Luna and he came and found some of us. About a dozen tried were able to head for here, where we hoped we could warn you…but they dogged us the whole way back. Prevented us from apparating…picked us off one by one…"

"…And now they've come here." Harry finished.

There were grim faces all around. It was Kingsley who spoke next.

"There's something else," he said, his slow deep voice sounding worn and tired. "They've already done more damage than they know. With Gwen gone, we only have Lucas in the Wizengamot and Vayle is not going to stop, especially now."

"No, Minister." Harry said softly. "He's not, and it's worse than you think. They killed Lucas Medford's wife and young daughter tonight as well." The whole room recoiled at the words. Ginny felt herself begin to cry. Harry held out the ring he had kept clutched tightly in his hand. "Lucas will not be joining us…I doubt hill remain in the Wizengamut either…I…I understand." Harry's voice trembled.

Hermione spoke up, her voice weak. "It can't be a coincidence."

The room now turned its eyes to her.

"It can't be…Vayle begins his assault on the Order at the same time the Death Eaters start hunting it?"

"You think Vayle is one of them?" Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded. "That or he's working for them."

The room became deathly still. The Order of the Phoenix was meant to defend the wizarding world, but who would defend them now?

"We have to get everyone into someplace safe," Ginny heard Harry say finally. "That's the first thing. We'll divide all the Order members up among the safehouses, Ron and Hermione you'll stay here."

Since Dominus' attacks and the destruction of Grimmauld Place, the Order had fortified several of the more defensible residences of Order members, having decided that it was no longer safe or wise to have only one headquarters. Among them were Harry and Ginny's home, the Burrow, Shell-Cottage, George's flat, and several others.

It was well into morning before arrangements were made for housing everyone. There would be another meeting, this time at the Burrow, that evening to attempt to decide what to do. In the meantime, the Order of the Phoenix's members were rushing for their homes and moving their families to safer locations.

* * *

><p>An hour's time found Ron still sitting next to Hermione on the couch. Across the low coffee table sat Harry and Ginny on a smaller loveseat. Ginny was cradling James in her arm as he worked his way through his first bottle of the day. The mood was somber.<p>

Luna had had gone to the guest room's shower to freshen up. The American Order members had been relocated to the Burrow where there were more rooms available. Ron was first to break the silence.

"What do we do now?"

For a moment, no one answered.

"I…I can't see…I don't know…" Harry said. "They have us, even if they weren't working together, they have us right where they want us. Clearly we need to start looking for these Death Eaters…but if Vayle succeeds…"

"He'll destroy Kingsley's government," Heremione finished the thought. "And all those exposed will have to resign. It will be the end of the reform movement…and then…we'll be isolated and exposed. We'll face these monsters on our own, Vayle may even be able to bring up charges against some of us."

"There must be a way…" Ginny said. "…is there no one in the Wizengamot who can help us?"

"None that we know we can trust," Hermione said. "And with Tocville gone there's no guarantee that the party will be able to hold together either. It might fracture without her as Speaker."

"We may have to consider trying to avoid as much damage as we can…" Harry said grimly. "Kingsley and I at least would have to resign, maybe we could spare further investigation, but it's unlikely. The Order will have to go underground, maybe flee someplace until we can reorganize."

Ron felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

"By then it will be too late! Vayle and whoever these people are will already have taken over!"

At Hermione's next words, Ron felt a chill settle over the whole room.

"It may already be too late."

The meeting later that night failed to produce any different conclusion. Each Order member left resolved to look for some answer, some way forward, but all the while Ron felt the truth of Hermione's words as if an icy poison was running through his veins.

**NOTE TO THE READERS:**

**Thank you all for all of your encouragement and your patience. I am going to attempt to add one more chapter after this one at least before my semester starts again. As I said in my notice, I have been incredibly busy recently and I was faced with a severe case of writer's block for a long time. However, I appear to have picked up at least some steam.  
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**I hope you enjoy these two chapters. It is really hard for me to do to Medford what I did, I really do like his character for reasons that you will see in coming chapters, but it is important in terms of the plot. So, now you have seen Luna return and the Death Eaters' attack. The Order is now under assault from both sides and the plot is fully underway. I'm hoping to find some time for personal moments at some point in the future (because I really enjoy them), but I need a few more plot chapters first - and of course too much mushiness gets boring.  
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**I'll try to get back to you all as soon as I can!  
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**Onward!  
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**RoyalRapier  
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	9. Chapter 6: On the Brink

**Chapter 6 – On the Brink**

_Street Near the Medford Residence – Surry, Friday, June 18, 2004_

Ginny pulled the hood of her cloak closer around her face. For once she was thankful for the rain that fell around her and allowed her to pass unnoticed through the streets of Surry. Ordinarily, she would have attracted a throng of followers unless she used magic to change her appearance or resorted to polyjuice potion, neither of which would suit her present goal. However, the rain made wearing a cloak and hood rather inconspicuous.

Harry wouldn't be happy that she had made this trip alone. In fact, she was sure she would hear about it from more people than just her husband. Hermione had tried to persuade her not to go alone when Ginny had asked her to watch James before she left. But Weasleys can be very stubborn, even if their last name has changed to Potter. This was something she needed to do by herself.

Ginny turned right at a street that appeared to hold mostly muggle residences. The sign said its name was "Poplar St." Some observers might have found it odd that the street, which was lined with quite a few trees, contained none of the species for which it was named, but Ginny's mind was elsewhere.

After a few additional minutes of walking, she found herself at the front gate of the Medford residence. Two Aurors appeared as if out of thin air, their disillusionment charms having concealed them until precisely that moment. Their wands were directed squarely at Ginny's face.

"Who goes there?" said the one to her right. "What's your business here?"

"Ginny Potter," She answered calmly. "I came to visit the family and offer my condolences."

The Aurors lowered their wands.

"Our apologies Mrs. Potter," the Auror spoke again. "We didn't recognize you under the cloack."

"You're sorry?" Ginny said, surprised. "For what?"

"You can continue on your way ma'am."

"Continue on my way? Isn't it policy to search visitors to a protected property?"

"Well, yes, but you're the Comiss…"

"But nothing, I'm sure the Commissioner didn't make me an exception. Search me and make sure I am who I say I am."

"Yes, maam." The Auror said hastily as the two of them performed the standard spells. Ginny noted that these two Aurors looked particularly inexperienced and made a mental note to tell Harry about this incident.

Ginny raised her hand to knock and then paused. She felt another of the waves of grief and memories that had washed over her this past week pushing its way into her mind. She forced it backwards. She was here for Lucas and his young daughter, she could not afford to wallow in her own memories today.

She rapped twice on the door with her knuckles. After a few seconds she could hear the sounds of someone moving slowly towards the door before it opened.

Lucas Medford was pale and disheveled. His eyes were red and the trails of fresh tears readily apparent on his face. His eyes and expression hardened when he saw who it was.

"Mrs. Potter," he said in a voice devoid of all emotion.

"Lucas," Ginny said. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I just came to…"

"No," Lucas said roughly, cutting her off. Ginny was shocked by the forcefulness of the reply.

"Pardon…?"

"I said no. I told Harry I wasn't coming back. You won't convince me otherwise." Lucas interrupted again, his voice steadily rising in volume. "I've just lost my wife and my daughter. How dare you…"

"Lucas I haven't…" Ginny tried to interject.

"…come here! Go home Ginny! The Order will have to find someone else!" Lucas finished. He made to shut the door.

Ginny caught it with her arm. Lucas tried to force it shut anyway, but Ginny was stronger than she appeared and forced it back open, knocking Lucas backwards several steps into the entrance hall.

"That's enough!" She said forcefully. "I haven't come here to ask you to return to the Order."

Lucas looked at her closely, as if trying to see if she was lying.

"No one has the right to ask anything of you after what you've been through. I came to see if there was anything I could do…to see if you would like to talk to someone."

Lucas' expression softened and his shoulders hunched.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," he said softly. "I haven't slept in days…I…You and Harry have always been so kind to us…I shouldn't have assumed."

Ginny crossed placed her hand on Medford's shoulder. "No Lucas, there's nothing to be sorry for."

Lucas looked to be on the edge of tears, but he drew himself upright. "Please, come in. I'll make some tea." He gestured into the sitting room to the left of the doorway.

Ginny nodded and came through the doorway, hanging her cloak on the rack inside after magically drying it with her wand. Medford headed down a hallway and through a doorway, she could hear him moving about and the clattering of dishes. She made her way into the sitting room and sat down. Lucas arrived a few minutes later, carrying several cups of tea on a tray. He took a seat next to her. Silence hung over the room for several minutes.

"Thank you for coming, Ginny," Medford said at last.

Ginny simply nodded. "How is Amelia?"

"She's…I don't think she understands yet." Lucas said haltingly. "She keeps crying for her mother at night…she doesn't understand why she won't come." He began to cry. It was some minutes before he could steady himself enough to continue. Ginny felt her heart breaking. The memories came flooding back despite her attempts to suppress them.

_It was the night after the memorial for those who had fallen during the Battle of Hogwarts. They had all returned to the Burrow that evening to find it ransacked. It was too much. Ginny ran to the large tree down by the pond, which had always been her sanctuary. She heard voices calling after her, but paid no attention._

_Harry had been the one who found her there, at the base of the tree, crying uncontrollably with her knees drawn up to her chest. He hadn't said a word. He settled next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She had turned and wrapped both of hers around his waist as his other arm encircled her. Through her grief, she noticed that he, too had finally succumbed to tears. _

_For hours, they sat there. Both sobbing into the other's shoulder; each clinging to the other as if they were the very ray of hope that threatened to disappear beneath the crushing weight of loss. It was hours before they finally were able to speak._

"_How can life be so cruel?" Ginny had croaked._

"_I don't know, Gin," Harry had said softly. "I…how do we even begin to..to..go on?"_

_They sat in silence for a few moments, before she said._

"_After you left last summer…I cried for weeks…"_

_He started to open her mouth, but Ginny shook her head. "Wait."_

_Harry said nothing._

"_And Fred came into my room." She had squeezed he eyes shut to stop the tears from falling again. "And I asked him how I was supposed to function when I was so worried about you and Ron and Hermione and all of us…"_

"_What did he say?" Harry asked, the pain in his voice raw_

"_One day at a time, Gin, we have to go on one day, one hour, one moment at a time. We have to fight for every minute, because no matter what happens that is what you know they, all of us, would want."_

Ginny was brought back to the present by the sound of Medford's voice.

"I'm just not strong enough," he said. "I … I'm not a hero. Not like you, or Harry or any of the others from the war. I can't…"

"Lucas," Ginny said. "You don't have to be invincible to be a hero. To that little girl, upstairs you are a hero. You're her dad."

"Her hero who couldn't save her mother or her sister."

"Lucas, you can't blame…"

"AND WHY NOT? WHY SHOULDN"T I BLAME MYSELF? WHY…?"

"Because there was nothing you could have done, no way you could have known…"

"WELL I SHOULD HAVE…HAVE…" He gripped his hair on either side of his head and looked wildly from side to side. It was a grief so powerful that he lost all control or reason. Ginny had seen it before. It was how George had reacted to losing Fred. But it was over almost as quickly. Lucas' arms sagged to his side.

"How, Ginny? How did you all do it? How did you go on after the War? After so much…?"

"To be honest, for a while we didn't…" Ginny started. Over the next few hours, Ginny told Lucas things that she had rarely spoken of. Many of them she had only told Harry or Hermione. She talked about Fred and Lupin and Tonks and Colin Creevey and the girl dying in her arms on the grounds of Hogwarts. She spoke of grief and despair and, at long last, of healing. Ginny didn't know why she found she could tell Medford these things. She had kept them guarded even from most of her own family. Harry alone knew all of it. She had needed to be strong, but Lucas needed something else. Maybe it was because his grief and his loss reminded her so much of her own. Maybe it was because his grief was in some ways deeper than hers. Maybe it was to give him some semblance of hope that life could go on in the face of so much reckless evil. But Ginny stayed and they talked until it was nearly time for dinner.

When she left, Lucas did not look better. If anything his grief seemed even closer to the surface than when she arrived, but she hoped it had done him some good. She apparated for home after she passed the front gates.

* * *

><p>Late that night, well after midnight, Ginny woke to find herself alone in the bed she shared with Harry. When, after a few minutes, he did not return and she heard no sounds to tell her where he had gone, she got up and walked into the second floor hallway. She saw his shadow cast upon the wall from where he stood in the doorway to the nursery. She made her way to his side.<p>

"Harry," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

He turned to look at her.

"We didn't stop him for this…" he said sadly.

"Stop who, Harry? What do you mean?"

"Voldemort," Harry replied. "and Dominus, and all the others. We didn't stop them for this…for James to have to grow up in hiding. I thought we were ensuring that his life would be one without fear."

"Harry, there's still a chance…"

"No, Gin," he whispered harshly. "Hermione hasn't found any way or anyone who can help. No one has. The leading contenders for the Speaker's position are all jockeying for position for the elections next week. They will split the party. We're being hunted. At the meeting tomorrow night we'll make the final arrangements to send the Order underground. Kingsley, Hermione, Ron, Arthur, and I will all resign on Monday. We'll have to go into hiding. And James…James..."

She reached up and placed a finger on his lips, before running her hand down the side of his face. "Harry, it'll be alright…we've already made arrangements with Fleur's parents. The Order will move to France until…until it's safe. We can raise James there, he'll be safe."

Harry just nodded sadly and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I know Gin, I just…I just hoped for something different."

"There's still room for that hope you know…the future is never certain."

Harry looked down at her. "You're right," he said at last. "There's still hope, as long as we're together. There's still hope."

"There's always hope." Ginny said as they hugged each other tightly and stared at the infant sleeping peacefully in his crib, unaware of his parents' fears.

**A NOTE TO THE READER**

**Here it is, another chapter! This one I think adds some more development to Ginny's character. It was a tough one to write, because I was attempting to balance here tough side with the more emotional, tender, caring Ginny that we all know is underneath. Ginny is one of my favorite characters from the series, so I hope that I have done her justice here. We also see Lucas Medford's profound grief following the death of his wife and daughter. I hope that you will all come to like his character. I have more development to do with it as he is one of the few new characters I have created who will play a major role in the stories. The next chapter, I hope, will give more insight into his personality and how he will be shaped in chapters to come by this loss.  
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**As I said, the main plot of the story is now unfolding. I think it's only fair for me to tell you that I'm still working on exactly how the disparate elements of the story are going to work themselves out. For instance, I haven't decided for sure whether or not Vayle is a Death Eater or not (so if any of you were trying to figure that out, I'm right there with you at the moment). I am working on developing a more in-depth plan, but for now I'm only really sure where I am planning on going for the next few chapters.  
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**That being said: the next chapter will take place at the Order meeting finalizing the plans for going into hiding. I'm greatly looking forward to reading your reviews and comments. Thank you to those who have reviewed and pointed out some of my grammatical errors and misspellings. Please know I am not ignoring you, but I figured you would rather have an update than an edit and I am already bordering on being the worst fan-fiction writer ever when it comes to updating speeds. Classes start in a couple of weeks, I hoping to have more to you before then!  
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**Thank you again for your patience, encouragement and support!  
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**Onward!  
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**RoyalRapier  
><strong>


	10. Chapter 7: A Fool's Hope

**Chapter 7 – A Fool's Hope**

_18 Pinemeadow Road, Potter Residence – Godric's Hollow, Saturday, June 19, 2004_

The faces around the table were grim as Harry informed the Order that there was no good news to report. No one had found a way out of their current predicament. They would have to go into hiding.

Ron looked around at his assembled friends and family. There was a real chance he would never see many of them again. He saw Neville squeeze Hannah's hand where it rested on the table. They would be staying in England. Neither had had any involvement in the Order during the war; they would be able to deny all involvement. Neville would stay at Hogwarts; he would at least be able to watch over the students there. Hannah would continue her work at the Leaky Cauldron. When the controversy died down, it was hoped they would be able to pass information to the Order. No one knew when or if that would be possible. Hagrid would also remain at Hogwarts ("I'm nau' going. 'S no use tryin' ta hide someone my size anyway.")

Andromeda Tonks, grey now streaking through her once jet-black hair, sat stiffly, her face full of grim determination. She and Teddy had also moved into the Potter's guest house for safety. They would join Harry, Ginny, James, George, Angelina and Fred in France along with Bill and Fleur. There they could hide while still being able to send the children to school at Beauxbatons when they were old enough.

Ron glanced to his right at Hermione. She stared blankly at the wall, clearly deep in thought. Her hands clenched the sides of her chair so tightly that her knuckles were white. The two of them would join Ron's parents with Charlie in Romania on Kingsley's suggestion. He had pointed out that the three of them (Harry, Ron and Hermione) would draw too much attention in any one place, it would be easier to hide if they were separated.

Kingsley himself, as well as Minerva McGonagall and most of the other remaining members of the old Order, would go to ground in the isolated magical villages of southern New Zealand. The newer members, such as Seamus, Dean, Oliver Wood and Susan Bones would lay low in England unless they were revealed, in which case they would all be given directions to one of the locations where they could find other Order members.

"Kingsley, Arthur and I will submit our resignations by owl post Monday morning. We will give no reason or direction where to find us. By the time the letters reach the Ministry we will all already be gone," Harry said solemnly. "It will take time for Vance and his goons to discover why or at least for them to manufacture their evidence. Hopefully it will be time enough for those of you remaining to bury all traces of involvement."

"Kendric," Kingsley, who continued after Harry stopped speaking, nodded at Eastloft. "Will do his best to keep the Aurors distracted. He will, if he can, bring Frank McKenna on board to help him. However, it is doubtful that they will remain in their positions long after Vance takes over."

"Are we sure Vance will take over?" Susan Bones querried.

"Once things come to light," Hermione answered her. "The Reform Party will fracture, Vance will have the largest coalition. His ascendency will be almost certain."

Susan nodded grimly.

"And what of the Death Eaters?" Luna asked from the far end of the table. She would be going into hiding in Africa with Rolf Scamander along with her father and the remnants of the American Order.

"It is our hope," Kingsley said slowly. "That we can hide ourselves thoroughly enough so as to lose them, but it is possible that they will keep searching for us."

"It's more than possible," said Rebecca Henthorn (one of the Americans). "They will track us if they can and divided we will be easier to overmatch."

"That is why it is essential that our covers be as complete as possible," Harry said gravely. "As we have discussed, we will use polyjuice potion and disillusionment charms to conceal ourselves. The Fidelius Charm will be useful as well. Once we reach France, those with me will go deep into the countryside, all known addresses will be abandoned. There we can split, but remain within contact. The group in Romania will do the same."

Silence fell on the room. There was little more to say.

"There is one other thing," Hermione said finally. "The rings…they must be destroyed. The Death Eaters know they exist. They will only make us targets now."

"But how will we…no one will know where to send an owl, it's too far for patronus'…there will be no way to find each other," Seamus said in a rush.

"That is, I think, the point," Minerva McGonagall said darkly. "It will be safer that way. The Order will survive then, even if one of the locations is compromised."

"And what if it becomes safe to return?" Neville asked.

"Someone will find you," Harry said simply.

"How?" asked Dean Thomas.

"With this." Ron said simply, holding up the Deluminator. The room grew silent once again.

Slowly, one by one, the Order members removed their rings and set them in the center of the table. Ron watched as Harry, last of all of them, removed his and held it for a long moment.

"It has been an honor…"he said simply and placed his ring on the table.

Hermione stood and raised her wand to cast the spell that would destroy the gold bands before them. Her arm drew backwards slightly as she began the wave.

Suddenly there was a loud and steady knock on the Potters' front door.

Hermione frozen in mid-motion, her head (along with those of the rest of the assembled crowd around the table) snapped in the direction of the entry-way. She saw Kendric Eastloft rise from his seat.

"Finish this," he said in his usual gruff manner. "I will see what it is and stall them if necessary. If there's trouble, I'll let you know and buy you as much time as I can." He left the room. Hermione heard the front door open as she once more raised her wand. The rest of the Order made ready to leave.

Just as her wand arm began to come down, the door to the dining room burst open.

"WAIT!" Lucas Medford cried loudly as he burst into the room, his long-black dress coat still about his shoulders. Eastloft was right on his heels.

"You can't do this."

Hermione remained where she was, her wand arm ready. She saw Harry look at Medford with sympathy and confusion.

"Lucas, we have no choice."

"You do. You can't let them win. Not after…" Medford paused to collect himself. "Not after what they did."

"We have no way to fight Vance. We have to leave before he destroys the Order for good. He's already won this game."

"No, he hasn't, not yet."

"Lucas," Kingsley said calmly. "There is no one in the Order left in the…"

"I will do it," Lucas interrupted.

"What?" Kingsley asked.

"I will fight Vance in the Wizengamot," he turned to Harry. "If you, the Aurors, and the rest of the Order can find and stop the Death Eaters, I will deal with Vance."

"Lucas," Hermione said, lowering her wand for the time being. "The coalition is already breaking. By the time the elections for party Speaker happen after Gwen's funeral there will be open divides between the factions. It will be nearly impossible to hold even the Reform party together. And even if you could, the moderate parties may not go along."

Medford looked around the room. As their eyes met, Hermione saw a determination there that gave her pause.

"When my wife and daughter died…" Lucas again paused. "When they died, I thought you all heartless. I thought I knew the risks when I joined the Order, I realized then that I didn't. I had never considered that I put my family in danger as well as myself. And then I wondered how you could all be so cruel as to risk your families…you, I was sure, knew the risks from the War. How could you put your families, your spouses, children, friends, in danger like that?"

"Then Ginny came to talk with me."

Hermione glanced quickly at Ginny. She saw Harry do the same. He looked confused, but also upset. Medford continued.

"And I realized that it wasn't in spite of the risk to your families that you stayed in the Order. IT was because of the risk. Because you knew that if you didn't act what happened to your families during the war…what happened to Emily and Lucy…could happen to many more people, could happen to the ones you still have left."

Lucas looked directly at Harry.

"I will not let Vance destroy other families like he has mine. I will not let him damage Amelia's future any more than he has already done. I swear to you Harry. Give me this chance. I have spent the last year watching and working with Gwen. I have support among the party, enough to start. I will not let the coalition come apart."

"And what of the committee?"

"I don't know what leads Gwen had. She was close to uncovering Vance's secrets when she died, I know that much, but she never got the chance to discuss them with me.

"I will help him," Hermione said firmly. She turned to Lucas. "Can you do this? You know what it means?"

"You will have to become the Speaker. You know that?" Kingsley said slowly. "There is no other way."

Medford squared his shoulders and nodded.

"I can't back you," Kingsley warned. "Not until you've already got enough votes to win. If I did it would only chase away the older members. It will be the same with Harry and the others."

"Minister," Medford said, the determination in his eyes burning like all consuming flames. "I will not fail. I have already contacted those members I can trust to begin laying the groundwork. I will hold your government together, and" he turned to Hermione "if you can get me the evidence I need, I will make Praetorius Vance pay for his crimes."

Hermione looked Medford directly in the eyes. "If you can hold the Wizengamot, I will find what you need."

"I can help," Susan Bones spoke up from where she stood at the other side of the room.

"And me as well," Percy Weasley said, pushing his glasses up on his nose in a gesture rather reminiscent of his father.

"Count me in, too" Ron said from her side.

Hermione watched Harry cross the room. He placed a ring in Medford's hand.

"I can't ask you to do this," he said softly.

"You don't have to," Medford replied. "I must do this. For Amelia's sake."

Harry turned back to the rest of the Order.

"The rest of us will find these Death Eaters. Vance will redouble his efforts to move the investigation into last year's events forward. I will do what I can from the Auror office without raising additional suspicion, but most of the work will have to be ours."

"We can help with that," Tom Arnold spoke for the Americans. "We know how they operate if nothing else." Harry nodded.

Hermione waved her wand. The rings left the table and flew to the hands of their respective owners.

"Right then. Hermione, Ron, Susan, and Percy will focus on helping Lucas deal with Vance…" Harry started.

"I think I might of some use in that regard as well," Kingsley spoke up.

"…and Kingsley. Molly, Arthur, Hannah, Dean, Professor McGonagall, Dedalus, Hestia, Elphias and Seamus will see to it that everyone in immediate danger has been moved to a safe house and arrange for guard duty. Kendric, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Tom, Raymond, Rebecca, Rolf, and I will begin tracking down these Death Eaters."

"Rolf and I have experience in the wilderness," Luna said abruptly. "We might be able to track down where they are keeping those creatures. I know there is at least one other."

Harry nodded. "That would be a good place to start. Who else has a suggestion?"

The room came alive. The despair of the previous hour was forgotten as suggestions were made, tasks were assigned and teams made plans. It was late into the night by the time the Order members made ready to disperse to their various safe houses.

Hermione, Harry, Kingsley and several others were talking near the door as Minerva McGonagall made to leave.

"It seems hope has been rekindled," she remarked as she made her way towards the door.

"It may yet be a fool's hope," Kingsley replied.

"Yes," McGonagall said. "Perhaps. But even fools are bound to be right sometimes."

Hermione was making her way to the kitchen for a glass of water a few hours later. As she approached the kitchen door, she heard voices from the sitting room. It was Harry and Ginny and for once they were arguing. Hermione tried to hurry to fill her glass and return to bed, but she couldn't help but hear them.

"I don't see why you had to go alone."

"Harry, I'm perfectly capable of making a trip to Surry…"

"Ginny, do you know why I haven't been sleeping? Because every time I close my eyes I see you and James dead instead of Emily and Lucy. It's too…"

"Don't you tell me it's too dangerous Harry Potter, not when you spend every day putting yourself in harm's way. Don't you think I have the same nightmares about losing you? I had to do this by myself."

"Why? What was so secret that you had to go by yourself? What did you tell Medford anyway? That he should come back…that…"

"I talked to him about Fred," Ginny snapped, her voice cracking. "And try to tell him that no matter how much it hurt that, that there was still something worth living for." Hermione heard someone cross the room and could only guess that Ginny had begun to cry.

"Gin," she heard Harry say softly, all the anger gone from his voice. "I'm sorry...I…What you did; it was the right thing to do. I should have just asked you."

"No, Harry," she replied. "You're right, too, I should have taken somebody along, at least until I got there."

Hermione turned to go back to bed. As she left she heard Harry remark.

"How can I be wrong even when I'm apologizing?"

"You're the husband," she heard Ginny quip. "That's your job."

"Oh really?" Hermione heard Ginny begin to giggle as she assumed Harry began tickling her.

"Harry…sstop…you're goooinng to …make me …wake James…" The giggling subsided.

"I love you, Gin."

"I love you, too, Harry."

Hermione smiled to herself as she made her way back to join Ron.

**A NOTE TO THE READER**

**Well, here it is, the next chapter. I need to plan for certain where I'm going to go from here, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get another chapter out before classes start, but hopefully I have been able to at least move the story forward somewhat and begin making up for my long absence.  
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**I noticed tonight that I had been using "Vayle" in the last couple chapters where I meant "Vance." I got the name confused with a minor character from the first story. I will try to go back and correct it soon, but I have used the correct name in this chapter. Also, in this chapter, we see Medford's character brought to light a little more as he rejoins the Order and provides hope that all may not yet be lost. In coming chapters his character will be playing a major role in the political battle to protect Kingsley's government.  
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**On the other side of the story, we can see the Order becoming mobilized to go after the Death Eaters. I hope to clarify the plot and the relationships between the enemies in the coming chapters. But suffice it to say for now that Vance is not the one in charge of the Death Eaters, and I believe I have decided he is not even one of them. However, you will have to wait and see for that one.  
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**And so, until next time (when hopefully I will have a fully mapped out plot):  
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**Onward!  
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**RoyalRapier  
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	11. UPDATE (AKA I'M SORRY)

My Dear, Dear Readers:

I will get innumerable rants about this message, mostly asking why I even bothered to post it, but I believe you deserve to at least hear from me.

To those who remain: I have not abandoned this story to remain forever in the depths of FanFiction. However, I have had to put the story on indefinite hold of personal reasons. I have been in law school and have had no time to even figure out where I want this story to go and I refuse to put up filler chapters or risk taking the story in a direction from which it won't be able to recover just so that it keeps going.

So what should you take from this? First, that I am profusely and indescribably sorry. Second, I do plan on continuing. And third, you should consider the story on hold until further notice. Once again, I am sorry for this...there is no deeper shame than to leave my readers in the middle of a story. Alas, the outside world has confronted me with far to many obligations and obstacles, not least of which is writers block.

Best,

RoyalRapier


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